Accessories
Inner box: Paulownia wood with white lacquer and inscription by Kobori Enshu; Outer box: Black lacquered surface with lacquered design of a bird and vine, with inscription.
Provenance
Kyoto Gifuya Hachirobei—Chikusa-ya (during the Tenpo era, through the intermediary of Tanematsu-ya)
Catalog
Fujita Family Tools Catalog, Honya Ryoun’s Kushinroku, Toda Ryuin’s Gakushu Shu, Taisho Meiki Kan.
Dimensions
Height: 7.7–8.4 cm, Mouth diameter: 13.2–13.6 cm, Foot diameter: 5.9 cm, Foot height: 2.1 cm, Weight: 285 g
Owner: Osaka Fujita Art Museum
This tea bowl, together with the tea bowl passed down from Kashimaya, forms a pair of maple-themed tea bowls and is famous for having been passed down from Chikusa-ya. The inscription “Kikuzuki” likely refers to the maple leaves, but it is written in the style of Enshu.
The overall reddish hue characteristic of maple-leaf-patterned ware is enhanced by occasional blue-tinged fire marks, creating a beautiful effect. Finger marks and hanging marks from the foot to the rim add unique character. The shape features a stepped waist, an open foot, and a sturdy feel. The interior has eight eye-shaped indentations.
