1st Generation ISHIDA SHOSEKI, White Porcelain 8cm, early work.
Product Details:
Region: Imari (伊万里市
Kiln: SHOSEKI 祥石
Potter: 1st Generation ISHIDA SHOSEKI 石田 祥石
Square Porcelain Bonsai Pot by First-Generation Ishida Shoseki (石田 祥石)
This small square bonsai pot, measuring 8cm in width and 5.5cm in height, is the work of First-Generation Ishida Shoseki, a distinguished Japanese potter renowned for his finely crafted porcelain vessels. Formed with precise geometry, the walls rise with a gentle outward flare from a slightly recessed base, supported by four integral corner feet that impart a sense of lightness and elevation.
The porcelain body is thin-walled yet robust, demonstrating Shoseki’s technical mastery in shaping and firing this challenging medium. Its surface presents a clean, luminous white, subtly modulated by the firing process, and entirely devoid of overt decoration — an aesthetic choice that emphasizes proportion, contour, and purity of form. The underside bears the impressed seal “祥石” (Shoseki), serving as both signature and authentication. Its refined presence and restrained elegance make it particularly well suited for shohin bonsai display, where the pot’s quiet refinement can complement the tree without visual competition.
Ishida Shoseki: History & Background
• Born in 1925, Ishida Shoseki embarked on her journey as a bonsai potter comparatively late in life. It wasn't until 1969, at around 50 years old, that she began crafting bonsai containers
• She apprenticed under a professional potter named Bunsho in Imari, where she honed wheel-throwing techniques. Later, she refined her painting skills under Miyazaki Tosato
• Shoseki’s artistic style beautifully marries classical Imari-style figure painting and geometric designs with a delicate, feminine sensibility
• She passed away in 2005, at the height of her popularity, particularly among Shohin bonsai collectors.
Ref: Japanese Bonsai Pots Blogtrunghongmon.com
Aspect Details
Birth – Death 1925 – 2005
Started Pottery Around 1969 (age ~50)
Training Wheel throwing under Bunsho (Imari); painting under Miyazaki Tosato
Artistic Style Classical Imari geometric and figurative motifs, with a feminine flair
Notable Production Early unpainted glazed pots (1970–1974); later highly detailed painted pots
Legacy & Collectability Popular among Shohin enthusiasts; collectable, but the market remains niche
