Page 339 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

PROVINCE OF YAMASHIRO 219

ous ovens in and near Kyoto Ninsei freely imparted his methods, and, from that time
to the present, imitations have been attempted bearing the forged mark Ninsei. Many
of the earlier imitations are so excellent in quality and design that it seems lamentable
that potters with so much skill should have concealed their names and buried their
reputations under fraudulent essays. The collection herein catalogued contains nearly
all the Ninagawa types of Ninsei. I am inclined to question the genuineness of a num-
ber of these ; or, to state it in another way, if the Ninagawa types are genuine, then
many other objects in the collection signed Ninsei are genuine, which is past belief.
The two marks usually ascribed to Ninsei are : first, the simple mark Ninsei with-
out border ; and second, the mark Ninsei, known as Maku-in (looped curtain). Accord-
ing to the work Tokiko, this double loop over the mark does not represent a curtain,
but is a contraction of the middle character Ouchi-yama, which is also written Omuro-
yania, at which place Ninsei at one time made pottery. In the same work is given a
number of marks used by Ninsei, one being used on fire vessels made of Shigaraki
clay, and others on pottery made at Iwakurayama, Omuro, and Seikanji. If this state-
ment is correct, and I have serious doubts about it, then there are many forms of
Ninsei supposed to be fraudulent which after all may prove to be genuine.
3034- Tea-bowl. D. 4f in. Flaring sides, symmetrical. Fine light fawn clay, fine ^i
grayish-white glaze delicately crackled. Over-decoration of pinks in light green and ^1^
red. Ninsei (imp.). 1650 -q,^
Type Ninagawa. Part IV., Fig. 7.
3035* Tea-bowl. D. 4J in. Fine drab clay, thick light straw glaze, slightly rough surface.
Ornamental border in red, blue, green, and gold. Ninsei (imp.). 1650
3036. Tea - bowl. D. 45 in. Rough light brown clay, transparent underglaze, ^ *
golden-brown overglaze running. White granules in glaze. Ninsei (imp.). 1650 ^V
Type Ninagawa. Part IV., Fig. 13. 3°36
3037- Tea-jar. H. 3^^ in. Light gray-drab clay, thick white glaze, coarsely crackled.
Around shoulder black glaze. Ninsei (inc.). 1650
Type Ninagawa. Part IV., Fig. 8. x^— ._
3038. Tea-jar. H. 3J in. Light drab clay, light brown glaze, with ^^ ($
splashes of darker brown. Ninsei (imp.). 1650 yyy, 3038
Type Ninagawa. Part IV., Fig. 10.
3039- Tea-jar. H. 2\ in. Yellowish-white clay and glaze. Over-decoration of flowers,
bamboo, temple, etc., in panels in green and blue enamels and black, touched with
red and gold. Between panels is elaborate diaper in the same colors. Sei in m
square panel (imp.). 1650
^"^^
Type Ninagawa. Part IV., Fig. 6.
3040. Bowl. D. sJ in. Fine fawn clay, grayish-white glaze. Rim of thick white glaze.
Over-decoration of rocks, trees, etc., in light green and thick blue enamels and red
and black. Obverse side, pinks and grass in pale blue underglaze. Strong spiral
mark on bottom. Sei in square panel (imp.). 1650
Mark and decoration identical with the Ninagawa type No.' 3039, the only other
specimen I have ever seen.