Width: 15cms
Height: 21cms
Depth: 14cms
Date: Circa 1880
£POA - What does POA mean?
Product Code: KPME116
Artist / Company: Ryubundo
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From our collection of Meiji-era Metalware, this 19th century Japanese Iron Tetsubin tea kettle with a Bronze lid.
This Tetsubin features a gold and silver inlaid design of a seated Tanuki (Racoon Dog). He sits among the grass under moonlit sky and bangs on his distended stomach creating the mysterious Pom Poko sounds.
The handle of the tetsubin is made from rolled iron and has a worn gold and silver inlay.The lid is made of bronze with a lotus flower knob.
This is very likely to be the original lid, tetsubin lids were often made of bronze by different artists to the ones who made the bodies of the pots.
Lid signed Ryubundo. Offered in good condition as shown in the photographs. Please contact us for further information or to arrange a viewing.
You can read a blog we wrote about the Tanuki by clicking here.
Tanuki
The Tanuki or Racoon Dog, is a small Canid endemic to Japan. They resemble racoons, but are more stocky and bear like.
Since ancient times they have featured heavily in Japanese folklore and although often shy, they are jovial creatures fond of mischief and shapeshifting.
Perhaps the most famous Tanuki prank is for them to turn themselves into a Tetsubin tea kettle, the kettle is then picked up by an unwitting tea maker and the Tanuki returns to it’s original form giving the tea maker a fright!
They are also known for their unusually large body parts, often the tanuki is depicted with a large stomach which they use as a drum, beating upon it and making the noise ‘PomPoko’, creating the mystical Tanuki-bayashi orchestra.
The Tanuki are probably best known for their super-sized testicles. There is an incredibly amusing set of prints by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797 – 1861) depicting Tanuki using this particular part of their anatomy in a number of extraordinary and creative ways.
Tetsubin
Tetsubin are Japanese cast iron kettles used to boil and pour water for tea. They are traditionally heated over charcoal, and many are elaborately decorated with inlaid metals or relief designs.
It’s uncertain when the current form of the tetsubin was developed, but it’s believed it was at some point in the 1500’s.
It’s said by many tea aficionados that the water boiled in an iron tetsubin gives a superior flavour to the tea. When looking inside older examples you can see the mineral deposit build ups from many uses, these are all believed to add to the flavour of the water.
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