Natsume tea caddy with cover with pressed maple leaf decoration
Medium:Lacquered wood
Geography: Japan
Date: first half of 20th century
Period: Meiji period
Object number: 991.252.4.1.1
Credit Line: The Yamagami Sōju (Akio, 1873-1957) Collection: Gift of Mrs. Yamagami and the Umezawa Family. Certified by the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board under the terms of the Cultural Property Export and Import Act. Attestė par la Commission canadienne d’examen des exportations de biens culturels en vertu de la Loi sur l’exportation et l’importation de biens culturels.
DescriptionThere are two types of tea served at tea gatherings: thick tea and thin tea, and different types of tea caddy are used to serve them. This type of lacquered tea caddy called "natsume" (jujube, after its shape) is mainly used for thin tea, as opposed to ceramic tea caddies used for thick tea.
The cipher of the 12th grand master of Mushanokōji Tea School, Chōshō Sōshu (1889-1953) is inscribed in red lacquer on the inside of the cover, which indicates that this tea caddy was commissioned by him to his taste.
