SOME OLD POT

We actually had a fair amount of sunshine today, something in short supply through the frigid months of January and February giving way to the march thaw. What surprised me was that the sun was pouring through the windows and illuminating this old Bizen tsubo that we have on the floor which Khan and Jun before him loves to rub up against while walking the perimeter of the room. I know I have photos of this old, feudal jar somewhere but didn't want to miss the opportunity to take a few shots of it bathed in the rays of the sun and here is just one of the pictures. The jar has a rather nice presence and scale and is about 60% covered in ash from the wood firing process with the rear being that reddish to almost purple flashing, fire color that makes for a well dressed pot. As you can see the lip is rather sturdy and strong in its construction and like the shoulder, both are impressed with various decorative devices all the way around which makes it just a tiny bit different than the rest of the old, Edo to Meiji period Bizen pottery that I am familiar with. 

 We found this pot in the window of an antique store on one of the antique streets in Cleveland that we explored on our second day of officially living in Cleveland. Initially the pot didn't have a price but after a couple of visits we agreed on a ridiculously fair price (for us) and it spent its time in Cleveland on the landing of our stairway to our apartment until it found its way to various houses in Cleveland, NH, CT, PA, VA and now in central NY though sans baggage labels. The one constant that has remained is that first Jun and now Khan both liked the jar as both a place for a solo rub down and as less than stealthy vantage point to sit on; at least we are all in agreement that we enjoy having this tsubo around for various reasons even if it is just some old pot.