Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 8.djvu/318

 From the year 1810 the porcelain industry of Owari entered a really thriving and important phase. Tamikichi had soon eighty-five pupils, all men of greater or less traditional skill. It has been said that, on the eve of his departure from Hizen, he acquired a knowledge of enamelling processes. But he did not employ them at Seto. Decoration with blue under the glaze was alone practised in his time and for some years afterwards. The ware was praiseworthy in some respects. Its pâte was inferior in texture and its glaze in purity to the beautiful porcelain of Hirado, but the tone of the blue decoration was good, and the designs were not less artistically chosen than skilfully executed. Strange to say, good specimens of early Seto porcelain are exceedingly rare in Japan. The highest reputation was acquired by Kawamoto Hansuke. To him is attributed (about 1830) the first employment of the stone called gyaman-ko (vide supra). An artist of about the same period, Kawamoto Jihei, was remarkable for skill as a modeller. His work of this nature shows delicacy and power. Some of the earlier pieces of Owari porcelain are marked with the names of factories or makers, but the general prevalence of this practice belongs rather to modern times. The industry has now assumed large dimensions. A recent census showed that there were then 296 kilns; that they produced porcelain and pottery of the average annual value of $180,000; and that the master potters numbered 274, the artisans 600, and the labourers 1,350. The Kawamoto factory, under the direction of Masukichi (direct descendant of Kawamoto Hansuke) turns out, perhaps, the choicest pieces. Other notables are Kawamoto Hansuke, representative, but not direct descendant, of the house of the celebrated potter of the