Page 216 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

THE CATALOGUE
J42
1614. Handled flower-holder. H. 6 in. Light fawn clay, pinkish-white underglaze,
thick splashes of green, white, and brown overglaze, running. 1880
X6l5- Flower-vase. H. 4J in. Fine light fawn clay, brown underglaze, thick white over-
glaze flecked with brownish-blue, running in large scale-like imbrications. 1880

NAKUSA (Case 15)
A cheap kind of pottery, bearing the impressed mark Nakusa, has been made in
Nakusa district, KiL
1616. Rest for cover. H. i| in. Modeled by hand. Light soft clay, thin green
glaze. Na/tusa (imp.). 1840

'^'^
AKAGI (Case 15)
A pottery bearing the mark of Akagi is placed here provisionally from its general
resemblance to Kairakuyen.
1
1617. Box. D. 2} in. Moulded. Light buff clay. Flowers and scrolls in relief.
Flowers glazed deep yellow, scrolls dull purple. Ground light green. Inside, trans-
parent glaze. Akagi (imp.). i860 1617

PROVINCE OF IGA

The pottery of Iga is very characteristic. It is extremely plain, usually
undecorated, and often rough and primitive in appearance. The close
resemblance between the pottery of Iga and Omi arises from the similarity
of the clay used in the work. The clay of Iga pottery is not so reddish as
that of Omi, and in some cases the material is almost a clayey-white.
In the village of Makiyama a serviceable unglazed pottery, in the form
of kitchen utensils, braziers, and the like, has been made within twenty
years. Examples of this work are placed in that portion of the collection
representing different objects made in pottery.

MARUBASHIRA (Case 15 and Plate XIII. 1640, 1658)
Pottery was made in the village of Marubashira more than eight hundred years
ago. Small plates have been dug up near the ruins of ancient ovens. These are
lathe-turned and show the thread-mark made in separating them from the lathe. Six
hundred years ago rude flower-vases were made of the coarsest clay, with thick
blistered glaze about the rim. Three hundred years ago the marks Iga and
Marubashira were used on the best pieces. The work Banipo Zensho records that tea-
jars, water-jars, flower-vases, etc., were made in large numbers. These resemble
Shigaraki, OmL This was in 1 70a Within a hundred years a potter named Okamoto