NAKANO GYOZAN 中野 行山 "Hand signed 爪描き" - 常滑 - 33.3cm 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 distinctive vintage artisan-made Japanese bonsai pot by 1st Generation Gyozan, Nakano Yukizyou（初代 行山・中野行常）, produced in the historic ceramic centre of 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 substantial container combines disciplined proportions and functional construction with an unusually expressive hand-modelled bamboo design（竹意匠）.

The pot features a broad and well-defined internal rim（内縁）, providing strength and generous planting depth. Its walls follow clean, predominantly straight lines, softened by smoothly rounded corners that give the substantial rectangular body an excellent sense of 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, Gyozan has modelled the decoration to resemble natural bamboo canes（竹）, complete with raised joints and individually defined bamboo nodes（竹の節）.

The hand-worked bamboo introduces an organic rhythm around the otherwise architectural rectangular form. Its raised surface also creates subtle changes of light and shadow, giving the walls additional depth while preserving the disciplined simplicity of the container.

Bamboo（竹） has a long-established place within Japanese aesthetics, traditionally associated with qualities such as strength, resilience, flexibility and longevity. Its restrained incorporation into this pot gives the container a distinctly Japanese character without overwhelming the simplicity of its overall form.

The warm brown unglazed Tokoname clay displays an attractive, lightly textured surface and excellent 土味（tsuchi-aji – clay character）. Natural ageing has introduced subtle tonal variation and mature 経年変化（keinen henka）, contributing additional depth and quiet 時代味（jidai-mi） to the clay.

The pot is supported by four carefully executed recessed cut feet（切足）. Set back beneath the main walls, the feet create a subtle shadow beneath the substantial body, visually lifting the container 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 signed work of Nakano Gyozan, 1st Generation（初代行山）.

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

External Dimensions / 外寸: 33.3 × 25.5 × 8.5cm
Internal Dimensions / 内寸: 29.1 × 21.4 × 6.3cm

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.

His work became respected for its refined proportions, carefully considered construction and understanding of the practical requirements of bonsai cultivation. His pots embody the Japanese concept of 用の美（yo no bi – beauty through function）, in which aesthetic quality and practical purpose are inseparable.

Gyozan produced a wide range of traditional bonsai containers, from restrained classical forms to more individually worked examples incorporating distinctive decorative elements. Throughout his work, careful attention can be seen in the relationship between the rim, walls, feet, clay and drainage system.

Of particular collector interest are pots bearing his characteristic hand-incised 爪描き（tsumegaki）signature. These signed examples belong to the personally worked output of 1st Generation Gyozan and are especially appreciated by collectors of Tokoname bonsai ceramics.

Following Nakano Gyozan's passing 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 form a finite body of work within modern Japanese bonsai-pot history.

Collector's Note / コレクターズノート

This 33.3cm rectangular 長方形 pot is a particularly individual example of 1st Generation Gyozan's work, distinguished by its substantial proportions and unusual continuous bamboo decoration（竹意匠）.

The hand-modelled bamboo is unquestionably the defining artistic feature. Its carefully formed canes, raised joints and naturalistic 竹の節 introduce organic movement around the disciplined rectangular architecture of the container, creating an attractive contrast between natural and geometric form.

The hand-incised 爪描き銘 on the underside is especially important. Rather than representing a seal-only production, the 爪描き identifies the pot as a personally hand-signed work attributable to 1st Generation Gyozan, Nakano Yukizyou（初代 行山・中野行常）.

The broad 内縁, recessed 切足, substantial planting space and unusually comprehensive arrangement of five drainage holes and eight wiring holes（排水穴・針金穴） also demonstrate Gyozan's understanding of 用の美 — creating a container that is aesthetically accomplished while remaining fundamentally designed for the cultivation and secure positioning of bonsai.

Its warm Tokoname clay, mature 土味, restrained 渋み（shibumi） and symbolic bamboo decoration give this example a character quite different from Gyozan's plainer classical containers.

With the passing of Nakano Gyozan in 2026, hand-signed 爪描き works such as this now belong to a completed and finite body of work, adding further historical and collector significance to an already distinctive example of 1st Generation Gyozan craftsmanship.