Tag: Japanese

Designer Desire: Nobuho Miya

Montage of Nobuho Miya cast iron designs

Nobuho Miya is a 3rd-generation Japanese designer practising in cast iron. Working out of the Kamasada Iron Casting Studio in Moriokashi, his designs possess an honesty and simplicity. His bowls, kettles, cooking pots and decorative items are spare, robust, functional, beautiful and tactile. If you love metalware produced by Dansk Designs and Robert Welch you will adore these!

There are a few places that either sell Nobuho Miya designs in the UK or can ship them here. Links to three of them can be found at the bottom of this post.

Portrait of Nobuho Miyacredit

Have a look at this little film I found that features his products; shame I can’t read the Japanese subtitles!

Additional image credits:

Analogue Life | Momosan Shop | TokyoBike

Chalkware Japanese lady lamp

Vintage chalkware Japanese lady lamp | H is for Home

We picked up this lovely lady yesterday!

Vintage chalkware Japanese lady lamp | H is for Home

She’s a vintage 1950s Duron chalkware or plaster lamp… and the best example we’ve ever come across. Not only the design, but condition too – they’re often chipped and a bit tatty. The painted decoration is all original. It has twin bulb fittings and works perfectly.

Vintage chalkware Japanese lady lamp | H is for Home

We tend to steer away from what’s termed as ‘kitsch’, but the occasional example sometimes takes our fancy. We like the classic Tretchikoff girl prints… and this Japanese geisha has a similar vibe going on.

Vintage chalkware Japanese lady lamp | H is for Home

The lamp can either stand on a horizontal surface or can be hung on a wall.

Rear view of a vintage chalkware Japanese lady lamp | H is for Home

Here’s a view of the maker’s mark for collectors.

Vintage chalkware Japanese lady lamp | H is for Home

We’ll be a bit sorry to see her go actually, but go she must. The lamp is heading to our antiques centre space tomorrow. Sayonara lovely lady!

Designer Desire: Ryohei Yanagihara

Mosaic of Ryohei Yanagihara designs | H is for Home

It’s taken us a whole 5 years to revisit the work of graphic designer and animator Ryohei Yanagihara (1931-2015) – 柳原良平 in Japanese. His most famous work was his Uncle Torys character for Suntory Whisky. The other main brand for whom he produced work was shipping company, Mitsui O.S.K Lines. They even have a virtual museum and shop on their website dedicated to his work.

He also illustrated several children’s books including The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Babies Onomatopoeia.

It goes without saying that you’ll mainly pick up examples of his work in Japan. However, you can occasionally find his designs popping up internationally on sites such as Amazon and eBay.

Ryohei Yanagihara portraitcredit

Here’s a selection of Yanagihara’s animations from YouTube

Additional image credits:

Flickr | Pinterest

Grandad mug

'Grandad mug' blog post banner

green vintage Grandad mug

We spotted this vintage Grandad mug amongst a sea of crockery today. It dates from the 1960s/70s and is very reminiscent of something John Clappison might have designed for Hornsea Pottery. It actually originates from Japan and we’ve seen other pieces from this company – soup bowls etc. We love the graphic interlocking typeface pattern and the soft green colour too.

green vintage Grandad mug

It’s big enough for a nice cup of tea or milky coffee. Have you got a special Grandpa that deserves a treat? Or someone who’s old before their time and might suit the ironic Grandfather reference?