BOOKEND(S)

A fellow collector sent this photo which I thought was worth sharing and I should state that I think this makes for an unusual and somewhat exotic bookend. I am not quite sure if you can tell but in point of fact, this solid and sturdy vase is not actually holding up books but rather is at the end of a shelf where their DVDs are stored. What is clear is this is a rather well glazed and fired Oni-Shino vase by Tsukigata Nahiko only recently arrived here in the States and this collector's first piece by the potter. There are two distinct sides of this vase one is all brown crusty ash surrounded by areas of deep, dark iron and then there is this side which was facing away from the fire during the firing process. This side shows off the thick, fractured feldspar Shino surface with a myriad of  effects from the wood firing where the surface has a thick crust around the upper most part of the vase with lots of iron making its way to the surface running along with the natural green ash down the pot. To complete the package this pot came with a shifuku, signed box, outer lacquered storage box and a price sticker stuck to the pot and inner signed box. I think one would have to admit this is a rather nice example to add to a growing Japanese pottery collection but it does make me wonder, what is at the other end of the shelf?