This is a mug by Gen Takatsuru, a ceramic artist residing in America. The red and gold glaze, known as Kozuru Red, is beautiful. I also think his avant-garde artistry is wonderful. I purchased it at a gallery in Kamakura in 2011. I was too afraid to use it, (lol). It has the artist's signature and comes with a box (with writing on the box). Size: Height 10cm, Body width 10cm, Maximum width 12cm The artist is introduced in Takeshi Murayama's book "Yakimono Kiko Monogatari Nihon Tojishi" (Story of Japanese Ceramics History) (Showa 46), and I will excerpt from it below. "Ueno Agano Gen Takatsuru, the eldest son of Kasan Takatsuru, and Jun, the second son, are father-and-son artists and are representative figures. The two sons are also enthusiastic about the study of <Ko-Ueno> pottery. Gen, the eldest son, disliked the souvenir and commemorative pottery boom and moved from Sarayama to Ino, Hisayama-machi, Kasuya-gun, and built a new kiln. He belongs to the Kogeikai (Crafts Association) and has been making pottery in America in recent years. Gen Takatsuru subsequently won the Japan Kogei Association Award twice in a row, and became very famous for his iron-glazed bowls with a classical style. He held a solo exhibition in Tokyo in Showa 45, which was a presentation with strong experimental elements." #GenTakatsuru #ContemporaryCrafts #UenoYaki