The Porcelain Thread

[Victoria]

Thank you for sharing this information LeoFox. I also collect these porcelain pieces like a Inoue Haruho teapot 井上春峰 急須. The porcelain pedestal cup, similar to yours, I use for gyokuro, it is by Noritake.

Haruho Inoue teapot 井上春峰 急須

Do you mean inoue shunpo?
井上春峰

https://japanese-ceramics.com/2nd-gener ... %E4%BB%A3/

It’s curious, this was one of the first teapots I got at the LA Akido Center. The founder who passed away, had a lot of great teaware that they auctioned off to support the center. Over the years I researched the signature and used translators, and also collected more pieces that are all very finely made. What’s strange is now when I input 井上春峰 急須 I do get Inoue Shunpo (and Shunho) teapot, rather than Haruho Inoue teapot. Weird did translator change or something. I wish I knew more about the family and various generations of potters. Thanks for pointing out this discrepancy.

I just got this searching translation, and both names come up. Hmmm.

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[umami]

Names are always difficult as there are multiple ways to read each kanji and you can mix and match as you wish. Inoue is a fairly common family name so that's easy to guess. 春峰 is a bit more difficult since it's also an artist/kiln name, not a person's name and these have even more variance. The only way I know of is to find a reliable looking website that includes the reading in hiragana. In this case it seems to be しゅんほう/Shunho, although there are also places with Shunpo.

[Victoria]

Names are always difficult as there are multiple ways to read each kanji and you can mix and match as you wish. Inoue is a fairly common family name so that's easy to guess. 春峰 is a bit more difficult since it's also an artist/kiln name, not a person's name and these have even more variance. The only way I know of is to find a reliable looking website that includes the reading in hiragana. In this case it seems to be しゅんほう/Shunho, although there are also places with Shunpo.

Thank you @umami. I did find a site that identifies three generations of Shunho Inoue 井上春峰（いのうえ　しゅんほ) unfortunately stamps/signatures are not included.
http://shunteian.com/%E5%8F%96%E6%89%B1 ... 6%EF%BC%89

This site has stamps of Inoue Shunpo 2nd 二代 井上春峰

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[LeoFox]

80s woodfired cup from daxuejiadao
https://daxuejiadao.com/products/1980s- ... uoshen-cup

Compared side by side to a more modern jdz cup - renders a smoother and slightly less aromatic tea

[mhegara]

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[sheep.payday2]

I’ve spent quite a lot for this one (350$) and I would love your opinion on the quality of the craftsmanship!

With this kind of cups you are mostly paying for the painter's craft. If you like it, then it's all right.

It's very difficult to judge certain "quality" factors (glaze, hand feel, effect on tea…) based on photos alone.

[mhegara]

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[sheep.payday2]

i was actually referring exactly on the quality of the painting... I couldn't find a better painted quinghua streams and mountains online but even this one isn't that much precise in some areas... […]

All right, now I understand, thanks for clarifying.

As a student of Chinese painting and calligraphy, I don't like your gaiwan. There are other aspects to "good" painting than the amount of detail, and the brushwork on your piece looks monotonous and mechanical. Personally, I wouldn't have bought it even if it was a lot cheaper.

I'm attaching two photos of a gaiwan that I found by random googling, and that to me is a lot more interesting (link: https://cha-tailor.com/products/tureen- ... ain-gw-110, about USD 480). We just might be looking for different aesthetics, though.

[mhegara]

i was actually referring exactly on the quality of the painting... I couldn't find a better painted quinghua streams and mountains online but even this one isn't that much precise in some areas... […]

All right, now I understand, thanks for clarifying.

As a student of Chinese painting and calligraphy, I don't like your gaiwan. There are other aspects to "good" painting than the amount of detail, and the brushwork on your piece looks monotonous and mechanical. Personally, I wouldn't have bought it even if it was a lot cheaper.

I'm attaching two photos of a gaiwan that I found by random googling, and that to me is a lot more interesting (link: https://cha-tailor.com/products/tureen- ... ain-gw-110, about USD 480). We just might be looking for different aesthetics, though.

Yes. I think we are on different pages regarding this matter. Nonetheless, thanks for sharing your view!!

[sheep.payday2]

Whoops, I (perhaps) obviously meant to write

As a student of Chinese painting and calligraphy, I don't like your gaiwan cup. […]

Yes. I think we are on different pages regarding this matter. Nonetheless, thanks for sharing your view!!

You're welcome! I'll be looking at shanshui pieces with a fresh pair of eyes now.

[DailyTX]

@@sheep.payday2
The gaiwan you linked is my cup of tea
However, I couldn't find myself spending a few hundred bucks on a Gaiwan unless I met the painter in-person. Here is my poor man version.

[sheep.payday2]

@mhegara why ask & delete?

@DailyTX That pattern is called the Four Noble Professions or 漁樵耕讀: fisherman, woodcutter, farmer, and scholar. It's a classic motif and I'm fairly sure that some state-owned or formerly state-owned factory likewise had it in their catalog. 正泰瓷厂 Zhengtai Porcelain Factory's no. 244 could qualify (catalog picture from around 2005; archived), although it's not the same as yours.

At the risk of repeating myself: in a way, I do like these factory-style porcelains… mass-produced, but nonetheless pieces of cultural and economic history.