The casting of this thick-walled tetsubin is very strongly rendered, and the incredibly bold cut-out and relief decoration exceeds one full inch (2.5 cm) in depth. Encircling the body of the kettle is a writhing dragon, with its body moving in and out of low relief cast waves and high relief cast stylized cloud forms. This sinewy dragon is cast in wonderful detail, illustrating the animal’s horns, whiskers, beard and claws as well as the individual scales on its body. Depending on the context, dragons are teamed with a variety of motifs in Japanese art. The most common design pairings are with stylized cloud or wave motifs, reflecting the animal’s association with both the sky and the oceans.

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 second half of 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. Tetsubin can be classified according to their level of quality, separating those of higher technical quality and more decorative external features – the so-called “ornamental” kettles – from those of lower technical quality and less decorated ones. High relief ornamental tetsubin like this one are magnificent examples of Japanese ironwork which are very much sought after by collectors today. This is one of the finest examples of high relief ornamental tetsubin we have ever seen.

CONDITION is excellent, with only normal rust on the interior. DIMENSIONS: 5” (12.7 cm) high to top of pot; 9 ½” (24.1 cm) high to top of handle; 6 ½” (16.5 cm) diameter. Weight: 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg).