Tetsubin are cast iron water kettles which were popular in Japan as everyday household utensils and for informal and semi-formal tea drinking. During the second half of the 19th century, tetsubin made especially as tea utensils came to be highly esteemed. Fine ornamental tetsubin were preferred by the upper classes for the sencha style tea ceremony. A common characteristic of sencha kettles was that one side more heavily decorated than the other. In the sencha tea ceremony a tetsubin, held by the host in his right hand, is looked at by the guest with the spout pointing to the right. This is the side of the tetsubin which is usually more ornately decorated in order to enable the guest to admire the kettle’s “best” side.

CONDITION is excellent, with only normal interior rusting. There are three green felt pads on the bottom. DIMENSIONS: 4 ½” (11.5 cm) high to the top of the pot; 7 ¾” (19.7 cm) high to top of handle; 5 ¼” (13.4 cm) diameter.