Set of three sake cups

Set of three tiered lacquer cups, which when stacked together, fit into a wooden box. Cups are wide and shallow, with a low foot and plain rim. They are made of turned wood, covered in a bright red lacquer and decorated with a family crest, which has been executed in gold and placed slightly off-center in the interior of each cup.The rims of the cup and foot of each vessel are decorated with a plain gold band.

Historical period(s)
Edo period, ca. 1805
Medium
Lacquer on wood with gold
Dimensions
H x Diam (.1): 4.3 x 14.8 cm (1 11/16 x 5 13/16 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
Gift of Lucy Blanton
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F2001.10.1-3
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Lacquer, Vessel
Type

Sake cup

Keywords
Edo period (1615 - 1868), Japan, sake
Provenance

To 1960
Family of Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950), Japan, to 1960 [1]

From 1960 to 2001
Lucy Blanton, Chevy Chase, Maryland, purchased from the family of Yoshida Hiroshi in 1960 [2]

From 2001
Freer Gallery of Art, given by Lucy Blanton in 2001

Notes:

[1] This set was acquired by Lucy Blanton in 1960 in Japan, by purchase from a sale at the residence of the family of the artist Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950); see the April 20, 2001, letter (in the object file) from Lucy Blanton to Ann Yonemura, which provides full description of the circumstances (according to Curatorial Note 4, Ann Yonemura, June 12, 2001, in the object record).

[2] See note 1.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Lucy Blanton

Description

Set of three tiered lacquer cups, which when stacked together, fit into a wooden box. Cups are wide and shallow, with a low foot and plain rim. They are made of turned wood, covered in a bright red lacquer and decorated with a family crest, which has been executed in gold and placed slightly off-center in the interior of each cup.The rims of the cup and foot of each vessel are decorated with a plain gold band.

Inscription(s)

1. (Ann Yonemura, 12 June 2001) The storage box is inscribed on the lid with a description of the contents, which may be translated: "Set of three large sake cups, red with mon." To the left is inscribed "Keimansai ga," possibly the name of the makie specialist lacquerer who made the set. On the bottom of the box is the date "Bunka 2, ushi, 12th month," (12th lunar month of the second year of the Bunka era) corresponding to 1805. The second line reads "Jakudo yori chumon eru [ ][ ]." This line refers to receipt of an order from "Jakudo(?)" in the twelfth month of 1805.

Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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