Nakagawa Specialty
Accessories
Inner box: Paulownia wood with white lacquer and inscription by Kobori Enshu; Outer box: Paulownia wood with white lacquer and inscription by Matsudaira Fumai
Provenance
Kobori Enshu—Enshu presented this tea caddy along with the Hashi-hime tea caddy to Tanuma Hō (Genroku 7)—Purchased by Fumai (around the Kansei era)
Listed
Appended Notes: Tea Ware Appraisal Collection, Fushimiya Handwritten Notes, Kobori Family Tea Utensils Outbound Register, Fushimiya Memorandum, Daien-an Tea Ceremony Record, Taisho Masterpiece Tea Ware Guide
Dimensions
Height: 6.1–6.5 cm, Mouth Diameter: 14.2–14.6 cm, Foot Diameter: 5.4 cm, Same Height: 0.6 cm, Weight: 230 g
It is said to have been passed down from a fishmonger in Sakai to Enshu, and named “Toto-ya” by the second-generation Kobori Sokei, inspired by the purple hue of the Musashino purple grass. This is the so-called “hon-te Toto-ya,” featuring a light tea-colored base with a thin glaze, and a peach-colored finish with a blue-tinged fire change.The surface features fine, circular grooves, and the rim has a cut-back design. The scattered purple hues on the body add a distinctive touch, while the interior of the foot is neatly finished with a bar-shaped design, and the crepe-like wrinkles are beautifully rendered.
