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Japanese Meiji High Relief Cast Iron Tetsubin Signed browse these categories for related items... All Items: Antiques:Regional Art:Asian:Japanese:Tea Articles: Pre 1900: item # 1054762 Please refer to our stock # 6A-448 when inquiring.
B & C Antiques P. O. Box 291 Derby, CT 06418 203-929-7312 Guest Book $1,295 |
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This heavy antique Japanese “ornamental” tetsubin (iron kettle) is strongly cast and wonderfully decorated in high relief with grape vines and a squirrel set into deeply recessed irregular panels. Meiji period, ca.1900. The iron body is signed in relief beneath the spout with the four-character seal of “Ueda Zo,” a mark which appears only on tetsubin of the highest quality. The patinated brown and red mottled cast bronze lid bears an extensive signature inscription which reads: "Nippon” (Japan), "Osaka Shi” (city), "Tetsubin Sei” (made), "Sano Yasuke” (artist name). The “right” side of this heavy kettle is cast with a high relief squirrel scampering through a grape vine lush with leaves and grapes. The grapevine motif continues the “left” side as well. The quality of the relief casting is superb. It is bold and strongly rendered, exceeding half an inch (13 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 tetsubin similar in style and high relief casting is illustrated in Figure No. 162 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. CONDITION: The iron kettle is in perfect condition with only normal rusting on the interior. The bronze lid has lost its finial although the fixing rod is still firmly present. DIMENSIONS: 5” ¼” (13.5 cm) high to top of pot; 10” (25.4 cm) high to top of handle; 5 ½” (14 cm) diameter. Weight: 5 ½ pounds (2.5 kg). |
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