During the Muromachi period (1336-1573), Japan began to import great quantities of silk from China. Silk was one of the most important imports into Japan, and it is believed that ito-in were affixed to shipping cases containing silk. It may be that they were used to seal the package of silk, or that they were placed on receipts as proof of the transaction. Ito-in might also have been attached to silk shipments as a sort of certificate of the origin or quality of the goods. Ito-in means literally “thread seal.” They were also called “hakata-in,” or seals from Hakata, a trade port which played a leading role in the trade with China during this period.

Ito-in are bronze seals which are lighter in weight and smaller in size than traditional bronze seals. They were cast by a special method to make the inside of the grip hollow in order to minimize the weight, and the base was considerably thinner than ordinary seals. This indicates that ito-in were usually attached to something. Another name for them is “himo-in,” or “seals with cord.” Without exception, every existing ito-in has an aperture through which a cord can easily pass.

Experts differ on the question of whether these seals originated in Japan or China, and their origin is shrouded in mystery. Ito-in are not seals in the strict sense of the word -- they were not made for use exclusively as seals. They have engraved designs which look at first sight like strange forms of Chinese characters, yet with very few exceptions, they cannot be read. Moreover, there are duplicates in the inscriptions as well as in the figures on the grips, so they were presumably cast from the same mold which was used over and over again. If ito-in were made as seals, there should not have been duplicates. The grips were richly decorated with animal or human figures, and they were cast in numerous shapes. Their overall features had more in common with Yuan and Ming dynasty seals than with Japanese seals of the same time period. Additionally, the clothing, hair styles and facial expressions of the human figures used for the grip are definitely Chinese, and the handling of animal motifs is permeated with a strong Chinese influence. Despite this, ito-in were regarded as seals in Japan, as the name itself reveals. They were even used as personal seals by many daimyo, including Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who used ito-in often in their documents.

Ito-in are also of interest due to their considerable influence on the development of netsuke, but that is another whole area of discussion unto itself. We have learned these details from an incredibly fascinating article, “Ito-In Japanese Silk Seals: An Inspiration for Netsuke?” by Kinya Niiseki (ARTS OF ASIA, July/August 1979) where seals and stamps similar to this one are copiously illustrated.

Sambaso is a ritual dance of ancient origin which was intended to appease the gods and bring good fortune. The Sambaso is supposed to have originated in the 9th century as a religious dance to thwart earthquakes. The Sambaso dance was performed at the beginning of the New Year at the start of the Kabuki season and before certain Noh plays, and it has served as a prelude to theatrical performances since the establishment of theater in Japan.

Gosho ningyo as a whole are considered gift dolls, whether from the Imperial Household or as a gift for an auspicious occasion, such as the celebration of a new born baby. The gosho doll is one of noble descent, and the name means “palace doll,” a reference to the Imperial Palace in Kyoto during the Edo period where they originated. In most examples, the clothing is limited to a strict minimum, and it is either painted or pasted on. Gosho ningyo are a uniquely Japanese form, and by tradition, they represent chubby, almost naked little boys with large heads, round bodies and brilliant white skin. They generally show an originality and character which places them in a special category of Japanese dolls. In Japan these dolls are considered to be a classic art form and are appreciated as such. This particular doll is a rare collector’s item as Maruhei dolls do not often come on the market.

First used in China in the 12th century, chatter-marking first appeared in Okinawa and Kyushu folk kilns in the 18th century. It was done by applying a springy metal tool to the surface of a slipped pot. As the pot revolved on the wheel, the blade was applied to the slipped surface. The tool bounced and created a rhythmic pattern of nicks in the slip, exposing the contrasting clay underneath. A great deal of skill and experience was required for potters to utilize this technique successfully.

Onda pottery is often seen as the epitome of what the Japanese philosopher Soetsu Yanagi envisioned when he first developed the theory of "mingei" -- the folk craft movement in Japan -- in the late 1920’s. In his search for “unknown craftsmen” and their works, Yanagi discovered the tiny village of Onda Sarayama in Oita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu. Onda Sarayama was founded as a potting community in 1705 when kilns were opened by three potters. Little has changed about the process and aesthetics of ceramic production since that time. Today there are only ten kilns in Sarayama, and the current ten potters are all direct descendants of the original three men who founded the kilns. Because of the limited space in the mountain hamlet as well as the scarcity of natural materials, only one son per potting household is allowed to carry on the tradition, and no potters are allowed to move in from anywhere else. The clay is dug from nearby sources, a water-powered clay pounder still operates twenty-four hours a day, glazes are made from local raw materials, and all pieces are still fired in a “noborigama” (climbing kiln). The small size and isolation of the village have enabled the elder potters to control the course of production for decades, and they have made very few concessions to modernization. The small number of kilns also keeps Onda-yaki output limited relative to other ceramic production centers in Japan. (See the illustrated catalog entitled “The Ceramic Art of Onda” by Andrew L. Maske, produced for the 2007 exhibition “Onda Yaki: Japanese Folk Ceramics” at the Pucker Gallery in Boston, MA.)

Yanagi first became aware of Onda-yaki in 1931 when he visited the village for the first time, and he had high praise for these ceramics. They were made by well trained, highly skilled potters working in their traditional mode, using materials found nearby, and utilizing techniques that had been passed down from father to son for generations. In the early 1950’s he returned to Sarayama with renowned potter Hamada Shoji, and the Onda potters’ reputation became established among folk art connoisseurs throughout Japan. Further helping to foster the burgeoning interest in folk craft, the Japanese media gave considerable coverage to the famous English potter Bernard Leach when he visited Sarayama in 1954 and spent twenty days there learning the special techniques of chatter-marking and brush decoration from the Onda potters. As a result of this heightened visibility, Onda pottery was designated an “Intangible Cultural Asset” in 1970.

This lidded jar was acquired by a U. S. serviceman while stationed in Japan during the Allied Occupation immediately following the end of World War II. It was given to him as a token of friendship by a Japanese potter, and he was told it had been in the potter’s family for many years.

In the center of the main room of traditional Japanese houses of the Edo and Meiji periods stood an open hearth in which a small charcoal fire was kept burning. Above the fire was a suspension device called a “jizai” (self-adjuster) from which an iron kettle could be hung and raised or lowered as needed. A large wooden pothook hanger (“jizai-gake”) was suspended by a heavy rope from the high roof beams. The other end of this rope was attached to the adjuster (“yokogi,” i.e., crosspiece) through which the rope passed just above the iron hook. The weight of a pot on the iron hook pulled down on the rope and jammed it tight inside its hole through the crosspiece. Moving the yokogi to a horizontal position released this tension and permitted the kettle to be raised or lowered. Because the fire was maintained on an open hearth in the middle of the floor, this kettle suspension apparatus was always in plain view of guests or customers. Well-to-do farmers and merchants vied with one another to obtain large, impressive kettle-hook hangers made of fine wood, carefully formed and finished. Zelkova was the most expensive wood used for this purpose. It is a sturdy, long-lasting hardwood with a beautiful dense grain, and it requires little maintenance.

Folk-craft products or “mingei,” of which this kettle hook is representative, are objects used by common people. These commonplace, functional artifacts are endowed with a beauty directly connected with their utility – a beauty that is simple, humble and unassuming. Considered a quintessential example of Japanese folk art, keyaki wood jizai-gake are represented in most major collections of mingei or Japanese folk art.

Nishiura Enji’s porcelain is featured in the world famous Khalili Collection and illustrated on page 342 of “Splendors of Meiji: Treasures of Imperial Japan.” According to the catalogue of the Liege exhibition of 1905, Nishiura worked at Tajimicho, Gifu, and had won medals at St. Louis in 1904 and other exhibitions.

Sake has always been an integral part of Japanese life and the number and variety of kanban for the brew reflect this. Sake is stored in “sake-daru,” the cedar or cypress barrels which are wrapped in straw. The “shimenawa,” a braided straw rope sacred in Shinto belief and a portent of good luck, was an essential part of the barrel. The larger brewers licensed certain retail shops to display their kanban, just like the promotional product advertising still seen in modern shops. (For a similar example, see Plate 5 in KANBAN: SHOP SIGNS OF JAPAN by Dana Levy, Lea Sneider and Frank Gibney.)

Kanban are the traditional shop signs of old Japan. During the Edo and Meiji periods, large areas of the major cities were filled with rows of shops from which almost every conceivable form of trade was carried out. Because the shops were small, crowded and similar in appearance, the merchants were forced to advertise their wares through the use of banners, lanterns and shop signs. Signs with pleasing designs played an important role in catching the attention of passers-by and attracting potential customers. Visible from the street, the signs had to advertise the shop’s products in an original and appealing manner that would be immediately comprehensible to the public. Kanban were often decorated with bold patterns and characters advertising the wares of the shop, the owner, and the unique qualities of the products sold. While many of these signs were simple rectangular shapes, others resembled the objects associated with the wares sold in the shop and were elaborately carved and painted.

This antique kanban for Kiku-Masamune sake is particularly elegant. The workmanship is indicative of the quality of craftsmanship and the originality demanded of the carvers of shop signs in 19th century Japan, and the gilding is lush. This sign is an example of a “yoki kanban,” which is a sign that identifies the product by its container. Such shop signs started centuries ago and were important when not everybody could read. Most had recognizable symbols, like this sake cask, and they advertised common household necessities and were directed to a largely illiterate audience. This kanban is an important example of Japanese folk art equaling the quality of those found in most of the major mingei collections or illustrated in reference books and catalogs about Japanese folk art.

Oribe ware, a folk pottery produced in kilns located in Mino and Seto, is particularly Japanese in taste and was never made for export. Its bold and spontaneous designs and contours were generally asymmetrically executed in styles that were distinct, imaginative and vigorous. Oribe pottery derives its name from Furuta Oribe, a famous 16th century tea master. His influence over the pottery production of his day led to the development of a certain type of ware that was later named after him, nearly all relating in some way to the tea ceremony. Folk-craft products or “mingei,” of which this dish is representative, are objects used by common people. These commonplace, functional artifacts are endowed with a beauty directly connected with their utility – a beauty that is simple, humble and unassuming.

The relief casting on this kettle is superb. The background design is composed of alternating panels. On the front and back, ancient Chinese seal script characters fill each side, overlapped by alternating panels with the purely Japanese design of “hanabishi,” a popular motif in which the petals of the “karahana” (China flower) create four-petal flower diamonds. There is a wavy relief cast border separating the four panels. Cast in higher relief atop the seal script characters are two large freely-rendered auspicious Kanji characters for the word “fuku” which means happiness or good fortune. The heavy cast bronze lid is topped with “tachibana” (mandarin orange) flower bud finial.

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 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, which was less formal and proscribed than the “chanoyu” tea ceremony.

During the 18th century, a craze had developed in Japan for bunjin, the art and culture of the Chinese literati scholar/painter. One of their daily customs was the drinking of sencha. This custom was adopted by the growing class of Japanese Confucian scholars. The artistic situation in Kyoto around 1800 was influenced by the activities of these Japanese literati, and the sencha cult became one of their favorite pastimes. The interest in sencha soon spread from the bunjin-enthusiasts to the common people in Kyoto, especially to the rich merchants.

It was in the first decades of the 19th century that relief decoration on iron kettles first came into demand. Relief designs required the lost-wax technique of casting that was practiced by bronze-casters. It was within this cultural and artistic environment that the metal-caster Shikata Yasunosuke was making tetsubin in Kyoto. He had adopted the name of his father as his artist name and called himself Ryubundo. By using the lost-wax method, he was able to make relief decorated tea utensils in the style of the bunjin, which specifically suited the tastes of the sencha enthusiasts at that time. (For a more detailed history, see TETSUBIN by P.L.W. Arts.) This is a truly unique example of a Japanese tetsubin in Chinese taste, and it exemplifies an important historical link in the initial development of relief cast tea ceremony utensils in Japan. It would make a wonderful addition to any tetsubin collection.

The white peak of Mount Fuji rises up against the palest of blue skies, which fades to an even lighter shade as it approaches the edge of the plate. Soft gray wisps of “fukizumi” clouds drift by the peak of the mountain, a unique and dramatic effect that was accomplished by the use of gray pigment being sprayed through a tube onto the surface of the plate. A diapered geometric border in blue and golden brown encircles the rim. The reverse is simply decorated with five bats within encircling blue lines and the four-character Senpoen mark. The low foot rim is unglazed, showing a very pure, fine-grained and high-quality white porcelain clay.

This chest is well constructed of sturdy materials, and the mortise-and-tenon joinery is indicative of fine craftsmanship. The soft cryptomeria wood, stained in a rich deep wine-colored hue, is nicely complimented by the striking heavyweight metalwork. The iron work is wonderfully rendered, from the large round lock plate on the safe door to the bold and decorative hinges, brackets and corner pieces. The traditional curved handles are of the “warabite” style, and ring pulls are affixed to the narrow secret drawer front and the two internal drawers. Small iron knobs (“atari”) are inset under all the handles to prevent the wood from being nicked.