Given the current state of affairs and the dramatic increase in getting pots from Japan to the US I had decided early on to try my hand at getting a pot or pots shipped by surface, seamail, a practice I have been using for printed materials for quite some time. Illustrated is the very first attempt at doing so which arrived after what seemed like an eternity but in absolutely great shape from pot, wood box and even the other cardboard box. Granted this was packed rather well but I gave the odds for at about 25% which was oddly enough how this pot was picked as a $10 plus $26 Japan Post seamail bill and when it arrived I was quite pleased all things considered.
This haikaburi Shigaraki uzukumaru tsubo which is just a little over 9" tall was made by Shimizu Hiroyuki and shows off a pleasing enough form with a rather nice firing with a rather active surface which give the pot that spark that catches the eye. During the firing the pot apparently fused to a shelf and when removed a small area came off the pot which was then filled and decorated in gold which adds a rather old, medieval feel to the pot. I really enjoy the directional ash caused by the velocity (and ferocity) of the firing which triggers the imagination to think of Ando Hiroshige's "Sudden Shower" woodblock print. Perhaps another intriguing feature of this pot is that the signed box also has a painted image (see inset) of the vase in use which adds a certain amount of appeal to the package. All in all this was an excellent test subject for the ardors of Transpacific voyage and low cost method of shipping for pieces that it would seem can not only make the journey but are worth the wait.
.JPG)