茶入筆記 vol.51 福岡美術館：唐物驢蹄口茶入 - Fukuoka Museum, Karamono Chaire, Heirloom by Matsunaga Family

所謂「驢蹄口」者，指其口緣形似驢蹄般向外擴張，上部外翻，整體造形如高甑（蒸器）。口緣外捻呈丸繩狀，並於其上緣施一圈明顯刻線，甑部與胴體接合處亦刻一條裝飾線以加強輪廓。釉色為帶光澤之暗褐釉，自肩部以下施釉均勻平滑，接近底部處釉流一條，痕跡明顯，最終延伸至器底畳付部位，形成一道景色。胴部中段可見疑似施釉時留下之指痕，呈橢圓形裸土區，頗具侘寂之趣。

器內未施釉，可見成形時之箆削痕，均勻繞行。底部中央凹陷，明顯可見糸切痕跡，為傳統手工拉坯收底之標誌。胎土細膩，呈淡褐色，顯見其用土潔淨而製作精良。

本器風格明顯反映明代輸日日用陶器中經由茶人選品而升格為茶道具者之範型，形制樸拙，釉色靜穆，歷經松永耳庵所蒐，進入名品之列。

唐物驢蹄口茶入

Chinese “Karamono” Tea Caddy with Donkey-Hoof-Shaped Rim

時代・世紀 | Period / Century

明時代，15–16世紀 Ming Dynasty, 15th–16th century

技法・素材 | Technique / Material

陶器Stoneware (glazed ceramic)

尺寸 | Dimensions

高 6.3 cm；胴徑 6.7 cm；口徑 3.2 cm；底徑 3.2 cm

Height: 6.3 cm; Body diameter: 6.7 cm; Mouth diameter: 3.2 cm; Foot diameter: 3.2 cm

收藏 | Collection

松永コレクション Matsunaga Collection

館藏編號 | Accession Number

6-Ha-52

產地 | Country of Origin

中國China

This tea caddy, known by the distinctive term “donkey-hoof rim” (ro-tei-guchi), derives its name from the upward-flaring mouth, which resembles the splayed hoof of a donkey. The caddy’s silhouette resembles a tall kōgō (steaming vessel), with a thick, rounded coil forming the mouth’s edge. A single incised line runs around the upper mouth rim, while another line encircles the joint between the neck and body, demarcating structural transitions.

The surface is coated in a lustrous dark brown glaze, applied thinly and smoothly down to the lower section. A single streak of glaze visibly trails down to the tatami-tsuke (the base resting surface), adding a spontaneous decorative element. A distinctive oval patch of unglazed clay, likely the result of the potter’s fingertip contact during glazing, appears at mid-body—an irregularity prized by tea aesthetes for its rustic elegance (wabi).

The interior is left unglazed, with prominent spatula marks from the shaping process running concentrically. The foot is sunken at center, with a clearly defined wire-cut mark indicative of traditional wheel-throwing technique. The clay body is fine-textured and pale brown, reflecting high-quality material and refined workmanship.

As part of the renowned Matsunaga Collection, this piece exemplifies how utilitarian Chinese wares of the Ming dynasty were selectively appropriated into the Japanese tea ceremony canon. Its humble form and subdued glaze exemplify the quiet profundity valued by connoisseurs such as Matsunaga Yasuzaemon (Jian’an), who elevated such objects into the realm of meibutsu.

驢蹄口の名で呼ばれるように丈高の甑の口部が上向きに開いて造られる。捻り返しは丸紐状を呈し、口縁上部に一条の刻線を巡らしている。また甑の付け根にも刻線を施す。釉薬は暗褐色のやや光沢のある釉を裾際まで薄く滑らかに施し、置き形が一筋流れて畳付に達している。さらに胴中ほどに施釉時の指跡と思われる楕円形の土見が生じている。内部は無釉で成形時の箆跡が明瞭に巡っている。底は中央が窪み糸切がくっきりと立つ。胎土は淡褐色のきめ細かい土である。