Generically called “kibana” (shrine or temple roof support finials), these wooden architectural ornaments were typically carved in the form of mythical beasts. (Kibana in this particular form were known as “zobana,” literally “an elephant's nose.") The Japanese artistic tradition includes a large number of imaginary creatures, including the Baku. Like so many mythical beings, the baku is a curious mingling of various animals. First chronicled in Shinto mythology, this creature is described as having a hairy head with a long proboscis like an elephant’s trunk, two tusks, four claws on each foot, a spiny backbone, a spotted hide, and the tail of an ox. Baku are considered to be a generally benevolent creatures which stalk the dreamscape, devouring the evil demons that cause nightmares. Superstitious people of Edo era Japan believed that bad dreams were caused by evil spirits. It was believed that if the Baku could be induced to eat a horrible dream, the creature had the power to change it into good fortune. When a person awakens from a nightmare, he should call out immediately to the Baku to eat his bad dreams. According to Shinto legend, the Baku will promptly consume the evil entity responsible for these nocturnal terrors and bestow good fortune upon whoever has called out to him.

As architectural elements, Baku were thought to protect the entrance to Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines and were placed under the roof of religious structures to ward off evil spirits. To insure the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu’s peaceful eternal rest, numerous sculptures of Baku are found at the Tosho-gu Shrine in Nikko, which houses his mausoleum. Wooden architectural ornaments, particularly those in the form of a baku heads, are quite rare and seldom seen on the market today. This is an excellent pair, with great personality, style and significant age.

This futon cover is made of four panels of coarse hand spun woven cotton that have been hand sewn together to make a large rectangle. This is the only way authentic old futon covers were made in Meiji Japan because loom widths were narrow, typically 12 to 14 inches. The assembled futon cloth was then dyed using a rice paste resist and all natural dyes for the colors. Indigo textiles were the fabric of the countryside in Japan, and they are wonderful examples of Japanese folk art or mingei.

The tsutsugaki technique involves freely drawn designs that are applied to cotton with paste resist squeezed through a paper cone having a tubular metal tip. The textile is then dipped repeatedly in indigo dyes. Where the paste lines had once been, white lines now remain, outlining the design in sharp contrast to the deep indigo blue background. Country dyers produced tsutsugaki textiles -- often with mythical and auspicious designs -- as bedding, wrapping clothes, banners and celebratory textiles for weddings, births and other important events. These tsutsugaki textiles were part of a bride’s trousseau which parents prepared for their daughter as a prayer for the well being of her new family as well as her happiness, so great care was taken in their handling as they were regarded as necessary for an auspicious future.

Yokogi were indoor fixtures which hung over live coals. In the center of the main room of traditional 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. Wooden crosspieces were usually carved in fanciful forms having auspicious and protective symbolism. A yokogi in the form of a carp (koi) was meant to inspire and instill courage and perseverance in the male children of the family and thus help to bring about success in their subsequent careers. Carp, like salmon, swim upstream to spawn, struggling bravely to overcome barriers such as rapids and waterfalls. In addition to the symbolism of the carp, fish-shaped yokogi in general symbolized the presence of water and were thought to magically prevent the fire in the hearth from starting a conflagration and destroying the house.

The quality of the relief casting is superb. It is bold and strongly rendered, exceeding a quarter inch (5 mm) in depth in some places. The body of the kettle surrounding the smooth recessed panels is roughly textured, and the top edge is cast with random hollows and depressions. This edge reflects “intentional damage” cast specifically to add the appearance of great age and antiquity to the tetsubin.

A unique and most attractive feature is the high relief cast iron lid which is also profusely decorated with the same flowering blossoms and leaves. A gnarled branch is raised and curved to form the lid’s finial. The high arched iron handle has spots of silver inlay, including designs which look like dew drops and a pine needle. (A nearly identical example is illustrated in Figure No. 65 in TETSUBIN by P.L.W. Arts.)

Fine ornamental tetsubin of this type 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. High relief ornamental tetsubin like this one are magnificent examples of Japanese ironwork which are very much sought after by collectors today.

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 tokkuri 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.

During a Shinto style wedding, the marriage is consecrated in the ritual of “san-san kudo,” where the bride and groom each drink from three sake cups three times. The families of the bride and groom would bring large containers of sake to the wedding ceremony in these black lacquered boxes. This style of lacquered wooded sake container, which is rectangular in shape with inset ends is called a sleeve cask because its shape is reminiscent of a Japanese kimono sleeve. Although sodedaru were originally made for ceremonial use by the higher classes, by the middle of the 19th century these rugged lacquer utensils were made for use by everyone.