One Pair Included, Maeda Family Tradition
Brief Biography
A retainer of the Toki clan of Mino, he was known as Suke and named Shigenari. He followed Nobunaga in the conquest of Mino. After Nobunaga’s death, he served Hideyoshi, distinguished himself in battle, and in Tenshō 13 (1585) was appointed Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade, and appointed Director of the Tea Bureau (Oribe-no-sho). He held a fief of 35,000 sen in Nishioka, Yamashiro Province.
He had dealings with Rikyū concerning tea, but during Rikyū’s lifetime, he was not a particularly significant figure in the tea world. After Rikyū’s death, he served Hideyoshi through tea and was called a master.
After serving with the Eastern Army at Sekigahara, Hidetada appointed Oribe as his tea master and frequently attended his tea gatherings. He fought with the Eastern Army in the Winter Siege of Osaka in October 1614 (Keichō 19), but secretly sided with the Osaka forces in the Summer Siege the following year (1615, Genna 1). He committed seppuku on June 11, immediately after Osaka’s fall, at the age of 72.
Tea Scoop
So distinctive it’s called the Oribe style, it takes the common form shared by Rikyu, Shoan, and Doan and makes it even more robust: a long scoop tip, strongly hollowed-out nodes, and a high waist. Moreover, the bamboo must be lustrous, rust-colored bamboo. This scoop bears insect damage above the middle joint, hence its alternate name “Mushi-gui” (Insect-Eaten). Perhaps due to Oribe’s fondness for the unusual, several other “Mushi-gui” tea scoops exist.
Tube
The inscription, in Oribe’s bold handwriting, reads: “For Master Sōhan, by Furuta Oribe.” This is a first-class Oribe tea scoop, highly sought after in Kanazawa.
Accessories
Box containing this pair with a 24-inch Enshū tube
Addendum
The recipient “Sōhan” refers to Nakagawa Sōhan, son-in-law of Maeda Toshiie and titled Musashi-no-kami. A tea master in the direct lineage of Rikyū, he was the owner of the Sōhan Katatsuki.
Dimensions
Chashaku
Length: 18.1 cm
Width: 0.5–1.1 cm
Thickness: 0.25 cm
Tub
Length: 20.9 cm
Diameter: 2.8 cm
