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A Cast Iron Japanese Tetsubin (Tea Kettle) – Pine Trees

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All Items: Antiques:Regional Art:Asian:Japanese:Tea Articles: Pre 1900: item # 896704

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Ichiban Japanese & Oriental Antiques
Post Office Box 395
Marion, CT 06444-0395
203.272.7392

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$595.00

A Cast Iron Japanese Tetsubin (Tea Kettle) – Pine Trees
This Japanese iron pot is approximately from the mid part of 1900s. The body and lid of the pot are made from cast-iron. On the sides of the kettle there are pine trees in low relief. On the lid, the knob for lifting the lid is a case miniature horse with saddle – an unusual touch as most have shi shis in this area. The piece measures 8” to the top of the handle – 4 ½” to the top of the lid know and is 5 ¾” diameter. There is a signature in low relief that we have not been able to identify . We date the tetsubin to the middle Meiji period, circa 1880-1890s. It is in fine condition with very good patina and a bit of rust in spots.

Tetsubin (鉄瓶) are Japanese cast iron pots having pouring spout and handle crossing over the top, used for boiling and pouring hot water for drinking purposes, such as for making tea. Because iron is released into the water, the water is appreciated as a dietary source of iron. Tetsubin traditionally are heated over a charcoal fire. In the Japanese art of chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony), the special portable brazier for this is the binkake (瓶掛).

Tetsubin are often elaborately decorated with relief designs on the outside. They range widely in size, and many have unusual shapes, making them popular with collectors. A relatively small tetsubin may hold around .5 litres of water; large ones may hold around 5 litres. The historical origin of the tetsubin is not certain. At last one authoritative Japanese source[ states that it developed from the spouted and handled water kettle called tedorigama that was already being used in chanoyu (see Japanese tea ceremony) in the era of Sen no Rikyū (1522-91). During the 19th century infused tea became more popular, and tetsubin were considered primarily status symbols, rather than functional kitchen items.



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