Page 154 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

96 THE CATALOGUE
1122. Fire-vessel, jar-shaped. H. 7 in. Coarse grayish clay, dull brown surface, very
rough, unglazed. Plum blossom and bird in white slip, glazed green, brown, and black, with
touches of red. Akogi (imp.). 1850
1123. Bowl. D. 3J in. Light yellowish clay, glistening light gray glaze. New Year's
decoration in brown. Akogi (imp.).
1 124. Cake-bowl, rim scalloped. D. 6 J in. Light fawn clay, light gray glaze.
Inside, flowers and leaves in pink, green, blue, and red, thickly applied. Outside,
rough sketch of bamboo in red. Akogi (imp.). 1870
1124
SAHEI (Case 11)
Two specimens in the collection bearing the impressed mark of Sahei were identi-
fied by skilful judges in Japan as having been made in Ise. Ninagawa, in manuscript
notes, states that the fourth Raku (see Yamashiro) was commonly called Sahei, and
at one time made pottery in Ise. From other sources I have derived additional testi-
mony to that effect. The two pieces bear evidence of age, and are made after Kyoto
style. Mokubei, of Kyoto, was also called Sahei, but the pieces are far older than
Mokubei's time, and there is no record of his having used this mark.
1 125. Incense-burner. H. 2^ in. Globular body with hollow walls with circular perfora-
tion. Rim flaring and scalloped. Fine light fawn clay, thick white glaze. Flowers in bluish-
gray. Sahei (imp.). 1640
1126. Handled cake-dish. D. Brownish-red clay, thick white glaze, over decora-
5I in.
tion of sinuous line with vertical lines pendant in blue. Sahei (imp.). 1640

BANKO (Case II and Plate VI. 1127, 1x34, 1138, 1139, 1142)
Great diversity of opinion is found in the various records published and in
manuscripts in regard to the origin and the history of the pottery bearing the
mark of Banko. A general agreement seems to give the credit of the first
making of Banko to Numanami, surnamed Gozayemon, who was a man of wealth,
lived in Kuwana, studied flower arrangement, and finally began to experiment with the
making of pottery. He is said to have served an apprenticeship .with Kenzan, in
Kyoto, and if this is a fact we get a clue to the date of Numanami's work, as Kenzan
died in 1743. His skill soon attracted notice, and the attention of the Shogun being
called to him, he was invited to Yedo, where he erected a furnace in Kommemura.
His first work was made with clay and glazing materials imported from China. He
died in the latter years of the last century. One of his sons worked with him for a
while, but a servant continued the pottery for some time after the master's death.
Three specimens figured by Ninagawa are supposed to have been the work of
Numanami in Yedo, and hence called Yedo Banko. As there is no absolute evidence
of the origin of the specimens they are here classified with other objects bearing the
mark of Banko. The round stamp has also been considered as indicating Yedo
Banko, but that mark, varying in character, has been used wathin recent years.
It would seem that many potters in Kuwana, Yokka-ichi, and other places used the