silver kiseru with very high quality kozuka panels

[Tonkotsu]

Here is an example of what craftsmen did to make a living after swords were banned. This is a fine example of a Japanese teapot. The teapot is hand hammered copper with beautiful dark red patina. It is decorated with shakudo, gold and silver with silver eggplants on vines with deep dark hand engraved shakudo leaves. Gold flower buds with a gold inlaid shakudo butterfly. The top is decorated with shakudo vines and a gold flower. The interior of the teapot is lined with silver. The piece is signed Yasuchika (1670 - 1744) who was very important craftsman in Japanese metal working history. However, this teapot was produced in the Meiji-era when craftsmen had to find a market for their skills other than sword furniture. The Yasuchika family continued metalworking for 6 generations.

[Curran]

On 10/18/2020 at 7:28 AM, Babu said:

I understand things went full circle and the early lacquer artists who went into tosogu went back to lacquring and also pipes and tobacco pouches.etc

Artists I've known to have done this are Masachika of the Bushu school and ever Tsuchiya yasuchika.

 

Absolutely beautiful pour kettle or pot.

Unfortunately, not Tsuchiya Yasuchika- as mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

Yet pretty great work. Total pleasure to look at it.

 

 

[terminus]

I've stumbled upon a few teapots, tea scoops and Cigarette boxes in auctions by some big names like Natsuo and Goto Ichijo. Here's a cigarette box from Meiji era Imperial household artist, Tsukada Shukyo:

 

Btw, that first kozuka remade into a pipe, is that Ichijo school? 
 

[Surfson]

Necessity is the mother of invention.  The beginning of Meiji was a tumultuous period in Japan, especially for kodogu and sword making masters!

[Tonkotsu]

Beautiful cigarette box. I an not sure who made either kozuka.

Edited October 22, 2020 by Tonkotsu
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[Bernard]

Meiji teapots can fetch a very high price at auction. One, estimated  EUR 3000-4000, sold for EUR 93'750 at Christie's Paris in 2017 !

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/theiere-en-fer-de-style-komai-tetsubin-6117927-details.aspx?from=salesummery&intObjectID=6117927

Here is mine, a much more modest piece :

Bernard D