Tea caddy in the shape of a rice bale

Object Details

• Description

  Tea caddy in the shape of a rice bail (tawara). Mishima technique.

  Clay: soft, grayish.

  Glaze: bright, thin, bluish-gray.

  Decoration: inlaid with white, under glaze.

• Label

  This small jar was formed by hand in the rounded shape of a straw-wrapped bail of rice. The rice-bail shape originated in Korean ceramics as a bottle form. In this miniature version of that form, delicate impressed and incised patterns have been filled with liquid white clay (slip). A thick white glaze partially obscures the patterns. The lacquer lid seems patterned after Southeast Asian lacquer decoration from Thailand or Burma.

• Provenance

  Ikeda Seisuke (1839-1900), Kyoto [1]

  To 1900

  Bunkio Matsuki (1867-1940), Boston, to 1900 [2]

  From 1900 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Bunkio Matsuki in 1900 [3]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

  [2] See Original Pottery List, L. 810, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [3] See note 2.

  [4] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Tea Ceremony in Japan XII (July 2, 2000 to February 4, 2001)

  Korean Influences on Japanese Slip-Decorated Ceramics (February 16, 1984 to November 9, 1984)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Ikeda Seisuke (1839-1900)

  Bunkio Matsuki 松木文恭 (1867-1940) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture, Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

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  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1850s, 1680s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Matsuki, Bunkio, Ikeda, Seisuke

• Place

  Kyoto, Japan, Kyoto prefecture

• Topic

  Tea, Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Inlay (process), White slip, Stoneware, Kyoto ware, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Lacquer, Kyushu-related ware, Ceramics

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)