Japan

Room 14

The art of tea 茶道具

Case 3

Tea caddies (cha-ire) 茶入

The powdered green tea (matcha 抹茶) used in the tea ceremony is presented in different containers according to the type of tea served. The powder for the thick tea (koicha 濃茶) is kept in small stoneware caddies known as cha-ire 茶入, while that of the thin tea (usucha 薄茶) comes in a lacquer natsume 棗 (see case 1). The first cha-ire were small medicine jars imported from China, which were then reproduced in Japanese kilns. Their shape and glaze vary enormously, depending on the characteristics of each kiln site.

As with other highly-prized tea utensils, the cha-ire are traditionally wrapped in small cloth bags (shifuku 仕覆), and kept in wooden storage boxes (kibako木箱). These boxes frequently bear inscriptions giving valuable information concerning the piece placed within, such as its provenance (artist or kiln site), its date, its name if it has received one, and possibly the identity of previous owners. Unfortunately, the original kibako of the cha-ire of the Baur Foundation have not been passed down to us; consequently, the exact dates and provenance of the exhibited caddies are difficult to determine and must therefore be considered provisional.

  1. Cha-ire, katatsuki shape, 肩衝茶入

    with shifuku とその仕覆

    Seto ware 伝瀬戸焼

    Late Momoyama period 桃山末期

    CB-CJ-1933-13

  2. Cha-ire, nasubi shape 茄子茶入

    Attributed to Nonomura Ninsei (c. 1648-1694) 伝野々村仁清 (1648-1694頃)

    CB-CJ-1933-139

  3. Cha-ire, katatsuki shape, 肩衝茶入

    with shifuku とその仕覆

    Seto ware 伝瀬戸焼

    Late Momoyama or early Edo 桃山末期~江戸初期

    CB-CJ-1933-11

  4. Whisk (chasen), bamboo 茶筅

    Modern 現代

  5. Cha-ire, taikai shape 内海茶入

    with shifuku とその仕覆

    Seto ware 伝瀬戸焼

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-CJ-1933-16

  6. Cha-ire, katatsuki shape 肩衝茶入

    Shigaraki ware 伝信楽焼

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-CJ-1933-8

  7. Cha-ire, mentori-katatsuki shape 面取肩衝茶入

    Shidoro ware (Shizuoka) 伝志戸呂焼

    Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期

    CB-CJ-1933-145

  8. Cha-ire, marutsubo shape 丸壺茶入

    with shifuku とその仕覆

    Shidoro ware (Shizuoka) 伝志戸呂焼

    Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期

    CB-CJ-1933-143

  9. Cha-ire, katatsuki shape 肩衝茶入

    Unknown provenance 窯本不明

    Edo period, 17th - 18th century 江戸初~中期

    CB-CJ-1933-164

  10. Cha-ire with handles 耳付茶入

    with shifuku とその仕覆

    Satsuma ware 伝薩摩焼

    Edo period 江戸時代

    CB-CJ-1933-152

  11. Dish, stoneware 草文鉢

    Underglaze floral design

    Shino ware 志野焼

    Momoyama period 桃山時代

    CB-CJ-1970-5

  12. Kibako box 木箱

    Paulownia wood 桐財

    Inscribed « Zeze kilns , cha-ire » 書付  膳所焼茶入

  13. Cha-ire, katatsuki shape 肩衝茶入

    Takatori ware 伝高取焼

    Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期

    CB-CJ-1933-142

  14. Cha-ire, katatsuki shape 肩衝茶入

    with shifuku とその仕覆

    Zeze ware 膳所焼

    Edo period, 17th century 江戸初期

    CB-CJ-1933-145

  15. Tea spatula (chashaku) 茶杓

    Carved by Satô Shôan (1939-) 佐藤昭庵作 (1939-)

    Named « Go » by Sekkaku-an Jakuô, with kaô 銘« 業 »、拙鶴庵若翁筆 (花押)