The casting of the figure and the tiger on the “right” side is strongly rendered, and the bold relief decoration exceeds a half an inch (15 mm) in depth. The high relief stylized tiger (“tora”) with its open mouth and exaggerated features has its head turned upright towards the figure. The figure represents Kato Kiyomasa, one of the celebrated generals of the sixteenth century. As a Japanese art motif, Kiyomasa is sometimes shown killing a tiger (“Kiyomasa no Toragari”). On the “left” side, a poem written in running script characters is cast in low relief within a smooth-textured panel, making this kettle an example of an “uta-tetsubin” (a kettle showing a poem on its body as decoration). There is a low relief landscape scene surrounding the poem.

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. (There are two tetsubin of similar style, i.e., high relief on one side and a poem on the other, in major museum collections which are illustrated in Figures No. 36 and 37 in TETSUBIN by P.L.W. Arts.)

CONDITION is excellent, with only minimal normal rusting. DIMENSIONS: 5 ¼” (13.4 cm) high to top of pot; 10” (25.4 cm) high to top of handle; approximately 5” (12.7 cm) diameter. Weight: 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg)