Japanese Tea Ceremony Hira-Natsume Tea Caddy Hida-Shunkei Lacquer Kokeshi This 18th century portable calligraphy

This 18th century portable calligraphy tansu has three drawers and a lidded top section

It also has 7 (seven) jet black enamel glazed circles giving this vase modernist intrigue

This symbolism of the Shi-Shi with a ball represents protection of the world or guarding the outside gate

1840) Imari ceramic bowl all hand painted in gold

Japanese Tea Ceremony Hira-Natsume Tea Caddy Hida-Shunkei Lacquer Kokeshi This 18th century portable calligraphyThis is a vintage Japanese chu natsume or tea caddy used in the chanoyu tea ceremony. It holds the powdered green tea called matcha. A quality natsume such as this is made of turn wood, typically hinoki or Japanese cypress. The wood is lacquered in the traditional Japanese method with as many as 20 coats of clear urushi lacquer. Beautifully decorated in traditional Shunkei urushi lacquer from the Hida Takayama region that shows the Hinoki Cypress