WARES OF SATSUMA
position occupied by a feudal chief in Japan three centuries ago. Pieces thus distinguished received the title of "Go-honde," or "honourable standards." It is recorded that Yoshihiro's resolve to rival the reputation of Chinese keramists induced him to import clay from the Yellow River in China, and glazing material from Korea. Specimens potted under these circumstances were termed "Hi-bakari," or "fire only," inasmuch as Japan's sole contribution to their manufacture was the kiln in which they were baked. It must not be supposed, however, that there is here any question of ware resembling that known to modern collectors as Satsuma-yaki. The productions of Hōchiu and his comrades were of an entirely different class. Eighteen varieties are said to have been manufactured, but no record is preserved of the exact points in which they differed. Several of them were purely of the Korean genre; others were copied from the Chinese. Of the latter, eight kinds are well known. The first of them is called Jakatsu-gusuri by Japanese connoisseurs, from the fact that its dark grey glaze is run in large, distinct globules, supposed to resemble the scales on a dragon's (Ja) back. The second is the Namako-gusuri, a term derived from the likeness which the flambé glaze bears to the greenish blue, mottled tints of the bêche-de-mer (namako). This faience, or stone-ware, is nothing more than an imitation of the Chinese Kwan-yao, or ware of Canton. The pâte is dense, well manipulated, and of a greyish red colour; the effect of the flambé glaze is rich and pleasing. The third variety is the Tessha-gusuri, so called from the iron (tetsu) dust (sha) that appears to float in the glaze. This is a copy of the Tei-shu-hwa of China. The fourth is a black glaze (Kuro-gusuri),
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