Accessories
Inner Box: Black Lacquer, Round, Gold Powder Inscription, Calligraphy
Middle Box: Tame-nuri Lacquer, Silver Powder Inscription, Calligraphy by Masuda Don’o
Outer Box: Paulownia Wood, Natural Finish, Same Lid Inside, Calligraphy by Masuda Don’o
Provenance
Masuda Don’o
Dimensions
Height: 4.6 cm
Mouth Diameter: 4.3 cm
Body Diameter: 5.2 cm
Base Diameter: 2.3 cm
Weight: 50 grams
This incense container beautifully balances the characteristic white ground and indigo glaze of Shōzui, presenting them with striking clarity. Furthermore, the leaves attached to the mandarin orange stem with small branches, referred to as “nine-leaf,” boast the highest number of leaves and excellent firing quality. These two factors combined make it a representative masterpiece among the many Shōzui incense boxes.
Only one or two other pieces of the same type are known as “nine-leaf.” Those with fewer leaves, such as five-leaf or three-leaf, are considered secondary works.
The patterns are so-called auspicious designs, including Tang children and arabesques, landscapes, poetry, and others.
There are over twenty varieties of auspicious incense boxes, including those favored by Enshū, most of which are unmarked. However, the mandarin orange incense boxes are an exception, often bearing inscriptions. This indicates they are masterpieces created independently of Enshū’s preferences.
The author has seen over twenty mikan incense containers in total. Each one deliberately incorporates some distinctive difference; not a single pair exists with identical shape, pattern, size, or as a matching set. Where does this profound consideration lie? It seems achievable only when the maker himself fully embodies the spirit of a tea master. Shōzui can be said to have been a tea master with deep conviction.
