Japanese Agano-style Sake Bottle

This unusual bottleneck jar is a late-Meiji era Japanese sake bottle, also known as tokkuri. Used to heat and serve sake, the ceramic bottle has a graceful, tapered form with wide shoulders and an elongated neck for conserving heat. A dark brown glaze coats the body and is met at the base of the neck by a white drip glaze, reminiscent of the black-and-white glazes of chosen-karatsu ware. A touch of turquoise decorates the lip and blends into the cream glaze, a finish seen prominently in agano ware. Beautifully glazed with traditional techniques, this sake bottle is wonderful as a decorative vessel or bud vase with a single flower.