An Old Tokkuri: Beautifully Formed Sake Flask

late nineteenth, early twentieth century
8 1/4" x 4" x 4", 21 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm

This beautifully rustic vessel is a tokkuri or a traditional sake flask. The buff-colored glaze that coats the flask shows beautiful, textural imperfections that greatly enhance and elevate the humble beauty of this utilitarian object. 

The tokkuri is heavy in the hand as the undulating walls of it are thick. It may have been made for use at an inn or restaurant as this one was found with several others that are similar in size, form and finish. 

What is so interesting about this humble object is that its character and shape shifts as you move it: different viewpoints show off different aspects of its form, all of them irregular and visually surprising.

A simply beautiful object in good, used condition and one with so many potential uses in the home, the prime one being an object to indulge visual enjoyment.