info@studio-pots.com	Harlequin Gallery
Shoji Hamada and his descendants Examples of work by various members of the Hamada family included in the exhibition, “Potters of the Leach Pottery”.
SHOJI HAMADA: Tenmoku bottle vase with wooden box. Height: 33.0 cm (13.0 inches) Price: SOLD	TOMOO HAMADA: Tawara vase with signed wooden box. Height: 17.25 cm (6.8 inches) Price: £550
ATSUYA HAMADA: Teapot with side handle made at Derek Emms workshop and was previously in Derek’s collection. Height; 13.5 cm (5.3 inches) Price: £275
Shoji Hamada (1894 - 1978) was one of the founding fathers of the Studio Pottery movement, who came over to England with his friend, Bernard Leach, to start the Leach Pottery in St. Ives, Cornwall back in 1920. Like Leach, Hamada did not come from a pottery background but had studied ceramics briefly in Tokyo. It was Hamada who built the three chambered climbing kiln at the Leach Pottery and during the 3 years that he stayed in St. Ives he not only worked but slept at the pottery. Upon his return to Japan, Hamada set up a workshop amongst the rural potters of Mashiko and was based there until his death. In 1955 he was designated as a ‘Living National Treasure” for his involvement and promotion of folk art pottery and the Mingei philosophy. Leach and Hamada’s friendship lasted throughout their lives and they travelled together to many parts of the world, giving lectures and demonstrations. This friendship also resulted in two of Hamada’s sons, Shinsaku (b.1929) and Atsuya (1931 – 1986), as well as his grandson, Tomoo (b.1967) spending time in St. Ives. All are represented with work in the “Potters of the Leach Pottery” exhibition albeit with pots made elsewhere.
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