Blue Caterpillar 5

Blue Caterpillar

A very rare original peculiar five-aperture caterpillar bauble vase designed and made at a now-defunct Tokoname kiln. Its interconnected spherical form and tapered feet are finished in the original muted periwinkle-blue and warm straw-yellow colourway.

After closure of the original Tokoname kiln, this vase mould was later transferred to a Shigaraki kiln and reproduced in brighter colours, with a distinctive splayed end leg. This original example corresponds with a prototype gifted to Japan Modern by the original designer and last CEO of the Tokoname kiln.

Designed for arrangements incorporating delicate materials like mizuhiki, the form reflects the period’s shift from heavy brutalist vessels towards lighter, avant-garde and irregular designs.

Vintage pieces may show signs of age and prior use, including surface wear, glaze variation, firing irregularities, kiln marks, minor staining and other characteristics acquired over time. The photographs provide further detail on the individual character and condition of the piece.

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