Tokaname Hanging Vase by Ezaki Issei

Japanese: Tea Articles: Pottery Pre 1980: item #935366

For a Japanese pottery connoisseur, some names in recent history are important to know, even if they never became "popular" or were named Living National Treasures. One such name is Ezaki Issei(1918-1992). Ezaki is the "godfather" of present day Tokoname wares, as it was he who revived the dilapidated kiln site and restored the glories of medieval Tokoname into the Showa Era. He is credited for reviving Tokoname wares like Kaneshige Toyo for Bizen or Nakazato Muan for Karatsu. If one is familiar... Click for details

A Superb Japanese Kogo - Makie Design of Six Creatures

Japanese: Tea Articles: Lacquer Pre 1900: item #934295
ICHI 3172

This is a truly fabulous Japanese lacquer kogo (covered box) with a wonderful design of six of the creatures so beloved in Japanese art – the Dragon, the Shi Shi, the Kylin, the Tiger, the Elephant and the Baku. The different creatures are executed in makie - raised relief gold lacquer – on a ground of shiny dark black lacquer – called roiro. Most of the creatures have a tiny bit of red lacquer at the mouth – some have sprinkle or small designs of silver on the body – all have exquisite detail. ... Click for details

A Four Case Inro Suite w/Shibayama Overlay – Edo/Meiji

Japanese: Tea Articles: Lacquer Pre 1900: item #934014
ICHI 1710

This is a fine and rare wooden four case inro with ojime and netsuke. The inro itself is a dark wood carved with an intricate design of tiny interlocking grid like carving. The wood was then covered with a transparent layer of lacquer to provide protection and shine.

On top of the wooden case, there is a fine design of a flower, leaves and... Click for details

Japanese Box with Chrysanthemum Motif

Japanese: Tea Articles: Metalwork Pre 1950: item #933835
JE-60

This early to mid-1900’s beautifully crafted shitan box is encased in metal with deeply carved chrysanthemums on the lid. The metal shows wear. Length: 7 ½” Height: 2” Depth: 3 ½”

Irabo Chawan by Hamanaka Gesson

Japanese: Tea Articles: Pottery Pre 2000: item #933315

Hamanaka Gesson (b.1943) is as talented a ceramic artist as they come; he does everything well from tableware to Tea wares, and all in a variety of styles and glazes. One very, very shibui style that is highly favored by Tea masters is a Korean inspired brown glaze called Irabo (ee-rah-bow). It's a wood ash mixed with an iron glaze that gives it its rusty brown tones that harmonize with whipped emerald green tea to a divine perfection. Hamanaka's chawan is also perfection in form, firing, balanc... Click for details

Japanese Kiri Wood Flower Container

Japanese: Tea Articles: Accessories Pre 1950: item #932639

Japanese Kiri wood slab flower vase with removable copper container, held together with raised bronze butterfly ties, thick panels of raised grain kiri wood comprise sides. 10.5"H 4.75"W 4.75"D

Antique Japanese Sencha Gourd Tea Set, Kassui

Japanese: Tea Articles: Lacquer Pre 1900: item #932377
MOR2657

A very unusual set of Sencha (Chinese style thin tea) pots with lids all carved from gourds dating from the 19th century, each uniquely signed Kassui in reddish lacquer. The set consists of: one large teapot, one small teapot, two lidded pouring pots, one open basin and one tall thin tea pot. The large tea pot is 5 inches (13 cm) diameter, the small lidded pots roughly 2 inches (5 cm) tall and the thin pot is 4 inches (10.5 cm) tall. The cooling pot is 4-1/4 inches (11 cm) diameter, and the s... Click for details

Mushiake Sencha Cup Set by Okamoto Eizan

Japanese: Tea Articles Pre 1950: item #930243

Mushiake pottery is a relatively obscure style fired in Okayama prefecture, the same area as Bizen. It began in the Edo period to service the tea needs of Lord Ikeda. After losing feudal patronage in the Meiji period there was a decline in the output and even stretches where there were no kilns being fired at all. Along came Okamoto Eizan (1881-1962) who along with Kuroi Ichiraku rekindled the flames and interest in Mushiake and even went so far as to start a 'mushiake boom.' From 1907 he set ou... Click for details

Japanese Showa Cast Iron Tetsubin Tea Kettle Pot Bamboo

Japanese: Tea Articles: Metalwork Pre 1930: item #929018

Large Japanese cast iron tetsubin decorated on the front with a pattern of bamboo leaves. The lid has a globular form finial. It is marked at the side of the spout (see enlargement 3). Dark sheen to the cast iron. Appears to date from the mid-20th century. Measures about 9" to the top of the handle and 7 1/2" across to the tip of the spout. The handle moves slightly to either side and can stand up on its own. There is some rust evident in the interior.

Japanese Showa Cast Iron Arare Tetsubin Tea Kettle Pot

Japanese: Tea Articles: Metalwork Pre 1930: item #928999

Japanese cast iron tetsubin decorated with a traditional hailstone ("arare") pattern. The lid has a pine cone finial. Appears to date from the mid-20th century. Measures about 6 1/2" to the top of the handle and 6 1/2" across to the tip of the spout. The handle remains in an upright position. The interior has a few small areas of rust evident.