tea-bowl;
tea-caddy;
tea-whisk-container;
box;
tea-whisk
- Museum number
- 1955,0221.1.a-g
- Description
-
Portable set for outdoor tea ceremony, comprising a) tea-bowl of 'painted Karatsu' (e-Karatsu) type, with flower motifs in underglaze iron brown; b) tea-caddy made of Takatori pottery with flower designs, with turned ivory lid; c) napkin-holder, made of porcelain decorated with geometric patterns in underglaze blue in sometsuke style; d) tea-whisk container, made of woven bamboo; e-f) lidded box, made of black lacquered wood, decorated in gold makie and nashiji with ivy-covered fence, repaired in gold and silver lacquer at rim; g) tea-whisk, made from split node of bamboo.
- Production date
- 17thC
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 3 centimetres (napkin holder)
-
Diameter: 3.30 centimetres (tea caddy)
-
Diameter: 2.80 centimetres (tea whisk container)
-
Diameter: 3 centimetres (tea whisk)
-
Height: 12 centimetres (box)
-
Height: 7.50 centimetres (napkin-holder)
-
Height: 7.70 centimetres (tea caddy)
-
Height: 9 centimetres (tea whisk container)
-
Height: 8 centimetres (tea whisk)
-
Height: 9.50 centimetres (tea-bowl)
-
Width: 15.80 centimetres (box)
-
Width: 9.30 centimetres (tea-bowl)
-
Depth: 10.50 centimetres (box)
-
Depth: 9.30 centimetres (tea-bowl)
- Curator's comments
- Smith et al 1990
It is likely that the container was made later to fit the teabowl, which is of classic but irregular E-Karatsu type, painted with simple motifs in underglaze iron brown. It has been repaired in gold and silver lacquer at the rim. The tea-whisk is made from a single node of bamboo, split and split again into curved tines of extraordinary delicacy. The whisk-holder is of woven bamboo. The container is richly decorated in gold 'makie' and 'nashiji' with an ivy-covered fence, suggesting the outdoor venue for which this set would be used.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2012 Sep – 2013 Apr, BM G91, ‘Ritual and revelry: the art of drinking in Asia'
- Acquisition date
- 1955
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1955,0221.1.a-g
