Vintage stoneware futaoki, cylindrical with waist just below the middle, the upper half slightly concave. Ki-Seto ware with the typical thin, translucent yellow glaze with fine brown speckles, the bottom ring impressed with small round flowers, typical for the artist.

Bottom marked with smiley face, signature of Kato Sakusuke V (Shinya). Japan, ca. 1980s.

H 2.25 x W at bottom 2.5 in.

Excellent condition.

Kato Sakusuke V, Shinya (b. 1940) is the 26th in line since Kato Kagemasa, the founder of Seto ware. Shinya is the eldest son of Sakusuke of the Kosetogama kiln. He graduated from the Sculpture Department of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and the Graduate School of Ceramics. He studied under Kato Hajime, Tamura Koichi and Fujimoto Yoshimichi. He worked as teacher at the Aichi University of Arts and Women’s Art University. He works mainly in Oribe style, ki-Seto, iron glaze, and ash glaze.