SOMETSUKE MULTIPATTERN BLUE AND WHITE HEXAGONAL BOWL (MID-CENTURY)

These hexagonal Arita-ware bowls were once used to serve guests at a minshiku (family-owned bed & breakfast) during the 1950s-60s.

Hand-painted on white porcelain, the blue patterns are different on each side. They have the charm of tiny inconsistencies that make each bowl unique, but also a modernity in form and design that keep them timeless.

Arita was one of the first regions in Japan to produce sometsuke blue-and-white porcelain, originally emulating Chinese designs. Today, many contemporary Arita-ware items are printed with modern designs, but originally they were all individually hand-painted and glazed.

We love the contrast of deep blues with glossy white, an aesthetic still popular today. Take a look at Asemi's Hasami Indigo Cup for a contemporary idea.

Porcelain
Diameter 14cm x Height 7cm