Gourd-shaped sake bottle

Object Details

• Description

  Buff clay. Recessed base. Underglaze iron painted decoration of grapes, trellis, and willow branches. Thick feldspathic glaze, coarsely crackled. Base glazed; three round spur marks inside foot rim.

• Label

  The shape of this ceramic bottle reflects the ancient custom of using gourds as containers for rice wine (sake).

• Provenance

  To 1964

  N.V. Hammer, Inc., New York. [1]

  From 1964

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from N.V. Hammer, Inc., New York. [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Tea in the Floating World (December 8, 2002 to May 26, 2003)

  Japanese Ceramics from Seto and Mino (January 19, 1996 to August 5, 2001)

  Japanese Art (November 7, 1986 to July 19, 1988)

  The Glazed Ceramic Tradition of Mino and Seto Wares (April 26, 1985 to January 13, 1986)

  Japanese Ceramics: from Past to Present (February 18, 1983 to December 16, 1984)

  Japanese Ceramics from Past to Present (February 18, 1983 to February 16, 1984)

  Japanese Ceramics (June 22, 1982 to September 27, 1982)

  Japanese Ceramics (July 15, 1980 to June 21, 1982)

  Japanese Ceramics (April 11, 1978 to January 17, 1980)

  Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons in Japanese Art (September 14, 1977 to April 8, 1978)

  Japanese Art--Shinto (October 12, 1976 to December 10, 1976)

  Japanese Art: Paintings and Pottery (July 1, 1966 to May 2, 1973)

• Previous custodian or owner

  N.V. Hammer, Inc.

• Origin

  Motoyashiki kiln, Toki city, Gifu prefecture, Japan

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1610s, 1600s

• Name

  N.V. Hammer, Inc.

• Place

  Motoyashiki kiln, Toki city, Japan, Gifu prefecture

• Topic

  Wine and wine making, Art, Momoyama period (1573 - 1615), Gourd, Japanese Art, Ceramics, Mino ware, Shino type, Sake

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)