NAKANO GYOZAN 中野 行山 "Hand signed 爪描き" - 常滑 - 40.2cm Rectangular Unglazed 長方形 無釉 Bamboo-Motif (竹意匠)

Product Details / 鉢の詳細

Region / 産地: Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture（愛知県常滑市）
Kiln / 窯: Gyozan Kiln（行山窯）
Potter / 作家: 1st Generation Gyozan – Nakano Yukizyou（初代 行山・中野行常）
Signature / 銘: Hand-incised 爪描き（tsumegaki）
Shape / 形状: Rectangular（長方形）
Finish / 仕上げ: Unglazed（無釉）

Description / 説明

A substantial vintage artisan-made Japanese bonsai pot by 1st Generation Gyozan, Nakano Yukizyou（初代 行山・中野行常）, produced in Tokoname（常滑市）, Aichi Prefecture.

Crafted in a classical rectangular form（長方形） from natural unglazed Tokoname clay（無釉常滑土）, this impressive 40.2cm container combines disciplined proportions and traditional functionality with an exceptionally distinctive hand-modelled bamboo design（竹意匠）.

The pot features a broad and well-defined internal rim（内縁）, providing structural strength and generous planting depth. Its walls follow clean, predominantly straight lines, softened by smoothly rounded corners that create a balanced and harmonious rectangular silhouette with excellent 均衡（kinko – balance） and 調和（chowa – harmony）.

The defining artistic feature is the continuous raised bamboo motif（竹意匠） encircling the body. Rather than employing a conventional plain horizontal band, the decoration has been carefully hand-modelled to resemble natural bamboo canes（竹）, complete with raised joints and clearly defined bamboo nodes（竹の節）.

The continuous bamboo treatment introduces a subtle organic rhythm and movement around the substantial body while preserving the disciplined architectural character of the rectangular form. Its raised modelling also creates changing areas of light and shadow across the walls, adding sculptural depth without becoming overly decorative.

Bamboo（竹） has long held an important place within Japanese aesthetics, traditionally associated with strength, resilience, flexibility and longevity. Its restrained incorporation into this container gives the pot a distinctly Japanese identity while complementing rather than overwhelming its classical form.

The warm brown Tokoname clay displays a refined, lightly textured surface with excellent 土味（tsuchi-aji – clay character）. Natural ageing has enriched the surface with subtle tonal variation and mature 経年変化（keinen henka）, contributing additional depth, 時代味（jidai-mi） and understated 渋み（shibumi）.

The pot is supported by four carefully executed recessed cut feet（切足）. Cut from the lower body and positioned back from the outer walls, they create a subtle shadow beneath the pot, visually lifting the substantial rectangular structure while maintaining a strong and stable 安定感（anteikan）.

Of particular importance, the underside bears the characteristic hand-incised 爪描き（tsumegaki）signature of 1st Generation Gyozan. This hand-worked signature is an important attribution feature and places the pot within the personally hand-signed work of Nakano Gyozan, 1st Generation（初代行山）.

The base incorporates one central drainage hole, four additional drainage holes and eight wiring holes（排水穴・針金穴）. This comprehensive arrangement provides excellent drainage together with numerous anchoring positions for securely fixing a substantial mature bonsai.

External Dimensions / 外寸: 40.2 × 30.8 × 11.0cm

Internal Dimensions / 内寸: 34.8 × 25.1 × 7.8cm

Condition / 状態: Excellent（非常に良好）

Free Shipping to UK Mainland / 英国本土送料無料

About the Potter / 作家について – 1st Generation Gyozan 初代行山

Nakano Gyozan（中野行山）, 1st Generation Gyozan（初代行山）, was one of the highly regarded makers associated with the modern Tokoname bonsai-pot tradition（常滑盆栽鉢）.

His work became particularly respected for refined proportions, carefully considered construction, excellent unglazed clay and a deep understanding of the practical requirements of bonsai cultivation.

Central to the character of Gyozan's work is the Japanese concept of 用の美（yo no bi – beauty through function）. His containers were conceived not merely as decorative ceramics, but as functional vessels in which aesthetics, planting space, drainage, anchoring and the visual relationship between pot and tree were carefully considered together.

Gyozan produced a broad range of classical bonsai-container forms, while certain individually worked pieces incorporated considerably more distinctive decorative elements. Pots such as this bamboo example demonstrate another dimension of his craftsmanship, combining a disciplined traditional form with carefully modelled ornamentation.

Of particular importance to collectors are examples bearing his characteristic hand-incised 爪描き（tsumegaki）signature. These signed examples form part of the personally worked output of 1st Generation Gyozan and should be distinguished from the seal-only（印のみ） production associated with the second generation.

Following the passing of Nakano Gyozan in February 2026, during the historic period of the 100th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition（第100回国風盆栽展）, his personally made and hand-signed pots now constitute a finite body of work within modern Japanese bonsai-pot history.

Collector's Note / コレクターズノート

This substantial 40.2cm rectangular pot（長方形鉢） is a particularly individual hand-signed example of 1st Generation Gyozan, distinguished by its size, strong architectural construction and unusual continuous bamboo decoration（竹意匠）.

The hand-modelled bamboo is the principal artistic feature of the pot. Its carefully formed canes, raised joints and naturalistic 竹の節 introduce organic movement around the disciplined rectangular geometry of the container, creating a sophisticated contrast between natural and architectural form.

At this larger 40.2cm scale, the continuous bamboo motif has considerable presence, yet its restrained execution prevents it from overwhelming the overall form. Instead, the decoration remains integrated with the container, maintaining the quiet 渋み expected of a high-quality Japanese bonsai pot.

The broad internal rim（内縁）, carefully executed recessed cut feet（切足）, generous planting chamber and practical arrangement of five drainage holes and eight wiring holes（排水穴・針金穴） demonstrate Gyozan's understanding of both 造形美（zokei-bi – beauty of form） and 実用性（jitsuyosei – functionality）.

Most importantly for attribution, the underside bears the hand-incised 爪描き銘 associated with 1st Generation Gyozan, Nakano Yukizyou（初代 行山・中野行常）. This is therefore a first-generation hand-signed work, rather than a second-generation seal-only production.

The combination of substantial size, warm Tokoname clay, mature 土味, natural 経年変化, distinctive 竹意匠 and hand-incised 爪描き gives this example considerable individuality and collector appeal.

With Nakano Gyozan's passing in 2026, surviving hand-signed 爪描き pots such as this now belong to a completed and finite body of work by 1st Generation Gyozan, adding further historical significance to an already distinctive example of Tokoname bonsai craftsmanship.