The philosophical pillar of mingei is “hand-crafted art of ordinary people”. Yanagi Soetsu discovered beauty in everyday ordinary and utilitarian objects created by nameless and unknown craftsmen. According to Yanagi, utilitarian objects made by the common people are “beyond beauty and ugliness”.
- tabako bon
- era: taisho
- age: 1910 - 1920
- origin: kyoto
- material: imari with lacquer box
- item number: 0880
- price: $125 for set
- kibori neko
- era: meiji
- age: 1900
- origin: kyoto
- wood: kuri (chestnut)
- item number: 16069
- price: $350
- kibori tsuru
- era: meiji
- age: 1888 - 1900
- origin: shiga
- wood: keyaki (zelkova)
- item number: 15057
- price: $950
- masu (grain measurement)
- era: meiji
- age: 1900
- origin: shiga
- wood: hinoki (cypress)
- size: 14.5"w x 10.5"h x 13.5"d
- item number: 16047
- price: $99
- masu (rice measurement)
- era: taisho
- age: 1917
- origin: niigata
- wood: hinoki (cypress)
- size: 12.5"dia x 12.5"h
- item number: 15101
- price: $170
- farmer's basket
- era: taisho
- age: 1910
- origin: niigata
- size: 16"w x 12"h x 2.5"d
- item number: 16097
- price: $125
- farmer's baskets
- era: taisho - showa
- origin: northern japan
- a) 10"w x 10"h x 8.5"d $75
- b) 10"w x 6.5"h x 8.75"d $35
- c) 9"w x 7.75"h x 7"d $65
- d) 24"w x 24"h x 6"d $220
- e) 20" w x 18"h x 7.5"d $120
- f) 12"w x 7.5"h x 11"d $45
- g) 15"w x 14.75"h x 6"d $120
- h) 13"dia x 6"h $75
- i) 26"w x 24"h x 6.5"d $75