Tatsuzo Shimaoka (1919 - 2007) Tatsuzō Shimaoka ( 島岡 達三 ) was a Japanese mingei potter who studied under Shōji Hamada and later became the second Living National Treasure of Mashiko, Japan. He was best known for his unique Jōmon zogan style of pottery inspired by the Jōmon rope like process and the Korean Yi Dynasty process of adding white slip to decorative indentations. Jōmon involves using ropes (often obihimo, or cord to wrap the obi for Japanese kimono) to make impressions in leather hard clay, while zogan is a process whereby slip is applied and inlaid in multiple layers into the impressed pattern. The slipped pattern is then carved back to the clay, highlighting it and leaving patterns exposed. After supervising the loading of a noborigama firing in late 2007, Shimaoka collapsed, and died several weeks later. This stoneware lidded pot with original inscribed box. 象嵌 赤繪 Zōgan Aka'e (zōgan is "inlaid work"); 蓋物 Futamono (lidded item);     達三 Tatsuzō (potter's name). Provenance: Tatsuzo Shimaoka stoneware, ash glaze, rope design, two circular panels with floral painted branches in red, green and yellow enamels, impressed seal, signed box. Circa 1980. Phillips sale #31126 11/13/2001  Lot #79 Catalogue page 74    Signed Box 4"X 4"  3" X 3" diameter