SNOWY EGRET

I received these photos from a friend of mine a long while back and in the interim he has decided to stop collecting and has already disposed of 95% of his collection just prior to a change in his location and lifestyle. While collecting he had assembled a rather nice collection with a number of rather fine Tsukigata Nahiko pots of which this particular mizusashi is one of them baring the name; Snowy Egret. Though Tsukigata named his pieces on the odd occasion, I have certainly seen very few pots named and in each case, those bearing a name were exceptional examples, this mizusashi is certainly no exception. Of classical form and Oni-Shino surface, this pot goes far beyond the pale with almost the entire surface covered in a layer of natural running green ash produced during one of Tsukigata's intensive and chaotic firings. The face of the pot is covered in a rich brown triangle of ash, tamadare style where the ash built up and began to show signs of scorching from the onslaught of fire and free flowing ash. Though I have seen a few its equal, one would have to admit, it does not get much better than this for the Oni-Shino style and the charismatic and dynamic work of Tsukigata Nahiko.