On May 21 and 22, 2026, the Mainichi Auction presented “Sale 850: Japanese Crafts and Tea Ceremony Utensils” in Ariake, Tokyo. The auction’s highest-priced lot was Raku Chojiro I “Black Tea Bowl Named Gentaguro,” which fetched 230 million yen.

Raku Chojiro I “Black Tea Bowl Named Gentaguro” bears an inscription bestowed by Sen no Rikyu and was passed down through the Konoike family, a prominent merchant family with close ties to the Omotesenke school of tea ceremony. The Konoike family is renowned for having owned three of the seven celebrated tea bowls known as “Chojiro Shichi-shu” (also called “Rikyu Shichi-shu”), a group of works selected by Sen no Rikyu as the finest tea bowls created by Chojiro. In addition to “Gentaguro,” the Konoike family’s collection included the celebrated Chojiro tea bowls “Kankyo” and “Tarobo,” both regarded as masterpieces. “Gentaguro” appeared at public auction for the first time in approximately 90 years, drawing significant attention during the preview exhibition. Bidding opened 30 million yen, and quickly intensified, with bids placed from the auction floor, by telephone, and online. The hammer ultimately fell at 230 million yen, making it the highest-priced lot of the sale. Notably, Raku Chojiro I “Black Tea Bowl Named Kankyo,” mentioned above, achieved 920 million yen at “Sale 842: A Treasure Trove of Chanoyu: The Iwata Family Collection,” held by Mainichi Auction in February 2026.

In addition, “Saiji Incense Burner with Design of Grape” by Hazan Itaya, a leading figure in modern Japanese crafts; “1979 Jar,” a late masterpiece by renowned contemporary ceramic artist, Shoji Kamoda; and “Vase in Ash Glaze” by Mineo Okabe, all achieved prices well above expectations at the auction.

Furthermore, a tea bowl by Raku Kichizaemon XV (Jikinyu) sold for 11.27 million yen, while works by Lucie Rie, Tokuro Kato, and Handeishi Kawakita also fetched high prices. Alongside the continued strength of the market for Raku tea bowls, the results highlighted the strong demand for tea bowls as a collecting category.

In the fields of tea ceremony utensils and contemporary crafts, auction participants are increasingly selecting works based on their own aesthetic sensibilities, transcending the traditional distinction between functional objects and works of art. This shift suggests that collectors are actively redefining how these works are valued, contributing to the continued vitality of the auction market.

◾️Auction results
Raku Chojiro I “Black Tea Bowl Named Gentaguro” – Sold for 230 million yen
Hazan Itaya “Saiji Incense Burner with Design of Grape” – Sold for 17.825 million yen
Shoji Kamoda “1979 Jar” – Sold for 13.225 million yen
Raku Kichizaemon XV (Jikinyu) “Tea Bowl” – Sold for 11.27 million yen
Mineo Okabe “Vase in Ash Glaze” – Sold for 9.545 million yen
Lucie Rie “Bowl with Thread-Like Lines” – Sold for 5.75 million yen

◾️Related information
Mainichi Auction: https://www.my-auction.co.jp/