This little teapot is a work by Shimizu Ushio, the second son of Suigetsu, one of the leading figures in banko-yaki pottery. Ushio works essentially with this black clay, covered in a translucent glaze, thus setting himself aside from the purple shidei clay work of his father Suigetsu and his big brother Jun. His work is not focussed on teapots: he also makes matcha bowls and vases.
The lightness of this teapot is astonishing. Owing to its very small size, it is perfect for gyokuro or sencha for one person.