Accessories
House box: Paulownia wood, natural finish with matching lid, signed on the inside
Dimensions
Height: 4.5 cm
Mouth diameter: 10.6 cm
Base diameter: 10.6 cm
Weight: 100 g
This Kamakura-bori incense container features a cloud and pine design. It is called the “Yoritomo,” a name reportedly given by a Nagoya connoisseur who believed this piece to be the quintessential example of Kamakura-bori. It is thought to have originally been used by a Zen monk.
Following the standard form, it is a slightly oversized round single-character yakuro lid type. The lid’s top depicts an ancient pine tree amidst a sea of clouds, while the sides are carved with a raft and wave patterns. Within the overall vermilion lacquer, the harmonious colors of brown tree trunks and green leaves are brilliant and vivid. Furthermore, its lack of wear typical of an antique makes it seem almost impossible to believe it is a period piece.
Tea masters also named a particularly small incense container of this type, carved with a warrior in armor, “Yoshitsune,” a name given in contrast to this container.
Unlike tsuishu lacquerware, Kamakura-bori incense containers possess an elegant charm, making them highly prized by tea masters who appreciate wabi-sabi.
