TOUYOU / TOYO 陶陽 (Matsumoto Takeshi 松本 武) – Tokoname 常滑市 – 33.6cm Round Drum 丸形太鼓鉢 – Unglazed 無釉

Product Details / 鉢の詳細

Region / 産地: Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture（愛知県常滑市）
Kiln / 窯元: Touyou / Toyo（陶陽）
Potter / 作家: Touyou / Toyo（陶陽）– Matsumoto Takeshi（松本 武）

Description / 説明

A distinctive vintage artisan-made Japanese bonsai pot（日本製・職人作の盆栽鉢）by Touyou / Toyo（陶陽）, Matsumoto Takeshi（松本 武）, from the historic pottery centre of Tokoname（常滑市）, Aichi Prefecture.

At 33.6cm in diameter, this pot is formed in a broad and relatively shallow round drum style（丸形太鼓鉢 / taiko-bachi）, with restrained near-vertical walls and a powerful low silhouette. Its proportions create an excellent sense of 安定感（stability）, 均衡（balance） and quiet 品格（dignity）.

The defining feature of the lower body is the traditional drum-style stud decoration（鋲飾り）. The 鋲（byo – studs/rivets） are arranged predominantly in two staggered rows around the circumference, creating the characteristic rhythmic detailing of the 太鼓形（taiko-gata） form. Rather than projecting strongly from the wall, the 鋲 have been worked unusually smooth and shallow into the clay. This gives the studded drum decoration a particularly restrained and sophisticated appearance.

Directly beneath the 鋲 is a distinctive incised reinforcing band（胴帯 / do-obi）. Rather than projecting from the body, the band is recessed into the clay, creating the impression of a reinforcing hoop seated within the wall, similar to the inset metal bands used to secure the wooden body of a traditional drum or barrel. This incised 胴帯 creates a strong but understated horizontal line around the pot and gives the lower body considerable definition without adding unnecessary visual weight.

Below this is a fine continuous incised groove（沈線 / chinsen）, an especially elegant feature of the lower construction. The 沈線 provides a clean and deliberate separation between the main body and the three integrated feet（三足）.

The three feet are formed directly from the lower structure and follow the circular silhouette of the pot. Rather than appearing as separate applied feet, their shape is defined by the carefully executed 沈線, which visually separates them from the body while preserving the broad, uninterrupted circular profile.

This treatment gives the pot a beautifully controlled base and a strong, grounded 安定感, while the three-foot arrangement provides a subtle architectural finish when viewed from different angles.

The upper body remains deliberately clean and restrained, allowing the 鋲飾り, incised 胴帯, and finely executed 沈線 to provide the principal visual character. The broad rim（口縁） is simple and understated, maintaining the strong circular line of the vessel.

The unglazed clay（無釉土）has matured into an attractive muted grey-green to olive-grey tone（灰緑色・オリーブ灰色）. Subtle variation across the surface gives the pot excellent 土味（tsuchi-aji – clay character）, complemented by natural 経年変化（age-related character）, 時代味（jidai-mi） and 景色（keshiki）.

Deeper tones retained within the recessed 鋲, 胴帯, and 沈線 further emphasise the craftsmanship of the lower body.

The overall appearance is distinctly 渋い（shibui） — restrained, mature and understated — making this a particularly attractive container for a substantial bonsai.

The base incorporates one large central drainage hole（中央排水穴） together with three smaller peripheral drainage/wiring holes（排水・針金兼用穴）.

This provides effective drainage while also allowing the tree and rootball to be securely anchored.

The pot bears an impressed Touyou / Toyo seal（陶陽印）, discreetly positioned on one of the lower grooves.

This 陶陽印 is the identifying mark present on the pot and is an important feature for attribution and collector interest.

External Dimensions / 外寸: 33.6 × 33.6 × 8.3cm

Internal Dimensions / 内寸: 30.1 × 30.1 × 6.7cm

Condition / 状態: Very good vintage condition（状態良好）. There are two small chips to the rim（口縁に小さな欠け二ヶ所）, which have been taken into consideration in the reduced asking price.

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

About the Potter / 作家について – Touyou 陶陽 / Matsumoto Takeshi 松本 武

Touyou（陶陽）, real name Matsumoto Takeshi（松本 武）, is an identified bonsai-pot maker associated with Tokoname（常滑）, Aichi Prefecture, one of Japan's historic ceramic centres.

His work encompasses traditional Japanese bonsai-container forms and demonstrates careful attention to proportion（均整）, clay character（土味）, restrained detailing and practical bonsai construction.

Touyou is particularly associated with substantial unglazed containers, including round and drum-form pots（太鼓鉢）. Surviving pieces bearing the 陶陽印 are increasingly interesting to collectors of traditional Tokoname bonsai ceramics（常滑盆栽鉢）.

Production associated with Touyou is documented as discontinued, although reliable published information confirming whether Matsumoto Takeshi is living or deceased remains limited.

Collector's Note / コレクターズノート

This 33.6cm Touyou 陶陽 is a particularly distinctive interpretation of the traditional Taiko-bachi（太鼓鉢）.

The smoothly worked 鋲（byo） are especially unusual. Rather than standing prominently proud of the body, they have been worked shallow and smooth, giving the traditional studded treatment a quieter and more refined appearance.

Equally distinctive is the incised 胴帯（do-obi）, recessed into the body rather than projecting outward. Its sunken profile creates a strong horizontal division while retaining the simplicity of the circular form.

Below it, the finely executed 沈線（chinsen） elegantly separates and defines the three integrated feet（三足）, a subtle detail that becomes increasingly apparent when the pot is viewed from different angles.

The combination of 鋲飾り, recessed 胴帯, precise 沈線, three-foot construction, mature grey-green 無釉土, natural 土味, and impressed 陶陽印 gives this pot a highly individual character and considerable 鑑賞価値（collector and aesthetic appeal）.

It is a strong example of the understated 造形美（beauty of form）, 安定感, and 渋み associated with traditional Japanese bonsai ceramics.