A friend and fellow collector sent me a picture of one of
his recent acquisitions the other day. This beautiful little tsubo is by
Shimizu Uichi and was likely made in the late 1980s. This style of yohen iron
glaze is a remarkable characteristic of Shimizu and what sets this particular
pot apart from the majority of this style is that instead of taking on a silver
sheen in the wood firing, this pot has a distinct and bold golden surface.
The addition of the finger raked design and thick feldspar accents only accentuate
the golden ground that blankets the piece. I am also rather fond of the way in
which the foot was cut, leaving several distinctive, sharp lines that further
enliven the pot and add to its sense of rhythm which seems very much at home
next to the massive Uraguchi tsubo in the background. Both pots born of iron in their glazes, both so
distinctly different.
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