COLLECTOR’S CHOICE: KASHIKI WITH RED AND WHITE PLUM BLOSSOMS – TAASA Review March 2021

Carl Wantrup O ne of my favourite pieces in my collection is this Kyoto stoneware kashiki decorated with branches of red and white blossoming plum, by Kiyomizu Rokubei V (1875-1959), an artist from one of the old ceramic lineages of Kyoto.

A kashiki is a bowl for serving wagashi (Japanese tea ceremony sweets), one of the crucial implements for chado (tea ceremony) as tea is always served after wagashi.

In chado, understatement or wabi aesthetic is preferred, however a kashiki can be rich and decorative, intending to delight a guest while taking sweets before a sober tea service. Kashiki, Kiyomizu Rokubei V, Japan c.1930s, stoneware with overglaze gilding and enamel...