Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Tea Articles (48)

19th century Japanese chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) in a shape of a storage jar with narrow waist and wider shoulders, and 2 mock ring handles. Old Bizen ware with characteristic dark brown clay bearing the marks of potter’s fingers as he was turning the piece on a wheel. Typical Japanese elliptical lines on the bottom left by a string used to cut the item off the turning wheel. Possibly marked by the bottom - see the detail on Enlargement 1...

Late Meiji (1890s to 1912) Japanese chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) in a shape of a storage jar with 4 mock lug handles. Buff colored stoneware body with free bulbous body bearing the marks of potter’s fingers as he was turning the piece on a wheel. Beautiful glaze turning from brown to off-white towards the bottom of the piece. Comes with very well made shifuku (silk brocade storage bag). Old bone lid lined with gold leaf paper on the inside...

1900-1920s (late Meiji - early Taisho) ceramic chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) in bunrin (apple) shape with a single small handle. Unusual Kyoto piece made in neriage (agateware) technique that is achieved by laminating different colored clays together and throwing them on a wheel to develop a swirling and spiraling effect. Comes with very well made shifuku (silk brocade storage bag).Old turned bone lid lined with gold leaf paper on the inside...

1900-1920s (late Meiji - early Taisho) Japanese burlwood stand with live edge and two sides with wave shaped edges, to be used for placing small objects during tea ceremony or display of okimono. Wonderful dense wood with supremely beautiful texture resembling swirling clouds, in excellent condition. Size 6 x 5 inches, 0.35 inches thick.

1900-1920s (late Meiji - early Taisho) Japanese pottery Kyoto ware chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) in double gourd shape with enamel decoration of brocade pattern with leaves, branches and flowers. Beautiful finely crackled glaze, wonderful slightly crooked upper part of the gourd giving the piece extra character. The foot shows stoneware body with concentric lines. Old turned lid lined with gold foil paper on the inside...

Rare 19th century Japanese ceramic Kuro Oribe chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) with two mock handles. Comes with very well made shifuku (silk brocade storage bag). Beautiful free potting, typical elliptical lines on the foot left by a string used to cut off the piece from potter’s wheel. Characteristic kuro (black) Oribe beautiful rich glaze enveloping most of the sides with one open areas painted with underglaze brown flowers, extraordinary patina...

1920s (late Meiji - early Taisho) ceramic chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony). Comes with very well made shifuku (silk brocade storage bag). Kyoto ware with dark brown to black glaze and beautiful tan colored streak going from the mouth to the middle of the body, old turned resin lid lined with gold leaf paper on the inside...

Late Meiji (1890s to 1912) Japanese ceramic Oribe ware chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) with two mock handles. Comes with very well made shifuku (silk brocade storage bag). Characteristic rich green glaze on the top, beautiful underglaze brown painting of fern sprigs on one side and plant shoots and brocade patterns on the other, wonderful finely crackled glaze...

Vintage Japanese wooden sago (tea scoop) carved in a shape of an eggplant. That kind of tea scoop is used for sencha - a type of Japanese green tea which is prepared by infusing the processed whole tea leaves in hot water. Cleverly and beautifully carved (see the stippling on the leaves by the stem) out of softwood, very pleasant to hold, in great condition. Length 4 7/8 inches.

19th century Japanese Satsuma kogo (box for incense during tea ceremony), its top decorated with bamboo stems and leaves, and the sides with various flowers and leaves, and several flowers on the inside. Good potting, very nicely painted, typical Satsuma finely crackled glaze, in great condition with appropriate age and usage signs. Signed on the bottom in gold on black with 2 characters reading HARAZAN (alternative reading is Warayama). Excellent quality painting...

Late Meiji (1890s to 1912) Japanese ceramic covered box imitating a shape of a drum with nails along its perimeter and with thick enamel decoration of grasses with white flowers on the top, possibly to store cosmetics or to be used in tea ceremony. Very well made stoneware body with beautiful spiral lines on the bottom showing how the piece was taken off the potter’s wheel...

Late Meiji Japanese Bizen pottery ware chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) with slender body of rounded triangular section and narrow mouth. Wonderful potting, beautiful patina, very nice texture and play of colors to the glaze on its surface. Inscribed by the potter on the bottom. Turned bone cover lined with silver colored foil on the inside. Great piece in excellent condition. Height with cover 3 3/8 inches.

19th century Japanese ceramic Shigaraki ware chawan (tea bowl) with celadon color glaze. Shigaraki is one of the six ancient kilns of Japan with long history dating back to the medieval period. Typical Shigaraki coarse clay body with large sand particles, elegant conical shape, beautiful potting with a sublime Japanese touch of a finger print of the potter with identifiable friction ridges (located on unglazed portion of the side by white spots on the left of Enlargement 1)...

19th century Japanese raku ceramic box for use in tea ceremony potted and painted to represent yuzu citron with leaves. Could serve as chaire (tea caddy for powdered tea) or kogo (box for incense). Wonderful hand potting, excellent depiction of fruit skin texture. Stamped with RAKU character on the body by the foot. Comes with newer kiriwood box and wrapping cloth. Very pleasant feel of age, well-used, in great condition. Diameter 3 1/4 inches, height with cover 2 5/8 inches.

Late Meiji (1890s to 1912) Japanese pottery kogo (box for incense during tea ceremony) of circular shape, its top decorated in low relief with various blooming flowers surrounded by lotus petals. Earthenware body with slight glaze and different color enamels, the inside is gilded and has residue from incense use. Stamped on the bottom with potter’s seal. Great piece in Japanese taste, in beautiful vintage condition. Diameter 2 3/8 inches, height 1 1/4 inches.

19th century Japanese ceramic chawan (tea bowl) for tea ceremony with light cream glaze and underglaze blue decoration of a moon rising over a Buddhist mountain temple. Inscribed in underglaze black with 3 characters which translate as ISHIYAMA-DERA (“Stone Mountain Temple”) - a Shingon temple in Otsu (Shiga Prefecture) and the thirteenth stop of the Kansai Kannon Pilgrimage. Superb free painting with strong Zen feeling, wonderful potting of shiro Raku (white Raku) body. Stamped by the foot ...

19th century Japanese ceramic chawan (tea bowl) for tea ceremony with crackled orange / cream glaze and underglaze blue decoration of torii gates among pines and birds in flight. Superb free painting, Raku pottery produced in the Kyoto region. Beautiful potting with spiral line on the bottom of the bowl showing the way potter finished turning the piece. Stamped with potter’s seal on the lower body. Well-used, in great condition, 3 old Japanese gold lacquer repairs on the rim testifying to the ...

1900-1920s (late Meiji - early Taisho) Japanese ceramic tea ceremony kashiki (dish for holding sweets served along with the tea) modeled in modified lozenge shape. Shino ware with stoneware body and thick glaze with a texture of small holes originated in the 16th century in Mino Province (present-day Gifu Prefecture) and has been popular ever since. Wonderful free potting, elegant grey nezumi (“mouse”) glaze with underglaze iron painting of a long leaf and tendrils with smaller leaves, beau...