Seto Katatsuki Tea Caddy, Shibugami-style, Inscribed with Yamazakura, a Specialty of the Renaissance

This tea caddy is commonly known as Shibukamite (shibukami-te) because the iron glaze blends with the red of the base, giving it the appearance of astringent paper. It is said that the name Yamazakura (mountain cherry blossom) came from the way the glaze is fired, while still being vibrant and reminiscent of a simple aesthetic. The base is eggshell-colored, chunky clay, likely made from mountain clay, with various grains of sand in it, giving it a thick, weighty appearance. The mouth is wide, with a shallow rim. The caddy is flared, tapering from the shoulders to the base, and the body is decorated with three vertical stripes made with a spatula to create a decorative effect. The entire caddy is glazed a shibukami color, with one side glossy and the other glazed. Below the base, the reddish base is visible, and the bottom has been beveled with a spatula. The bottom still has rough threads, some of the clay is frayed, and some areas are flat. This is a so-called "resurrected specialty" that Kobori Enshu made a specialty of, and it was originally passed down to the Mitsui family and then to the Fujita family of Osaka. When it was in the possession of Fujita Hikosaburo, it was included in the "Taisho Meiki Kan" (Catalogue of Famous Pottery in the Taisho Era).