Karamono Tsuru-kubi (Chinese-style Crane Neck) — From the collection of Count Tadamasa Sakai
Name
The name “Yōrō” was likely chosen to symbolize longevity, inspired by the shape of the vessel, which resembles a “crane’s neck” (tsuru-kubi).
Dimensions
Height: Approx. 7.6 cm (2 sun 5 bu)
Body diameter: Approx. 5.6 cm (1 sun 8 bu 5 rin)
Mouth diameter: approx. 3.0 cm (1 sun)
Base diameter: approx. 3.6 cm (1 sun 1 bu 8 rin)
Height of circular base: approx. 0.5 cm (1 bu 5 rin)
Neck length: approx. 3.6 cm (1 sun 2 bu)
Weight: approx. 63.0 g (16 monme 8 bu)
Accessories
・Lids: 2 (one features a “su” pattern; the other has a chip)
・Tea caddy pouch: Brown ha-niwa (with wisteria-colored tying cord)
・Pouches: 2
Himeji Kōtō (lined with pale green kaiki silk; brown tying cord)
Tawaraya Sōsetsu-kirimono (lined with pale green kaiki silk; purple tying cord)
・Storage box: Paulownia, natural finish
・Hikiya (cylinder for storing the tea caddy): Ebony, grain pattern
Pouch: Rat-colored leather (lined with flower-patterned Donshu fabric; brown tie cord)
・Inner box: Paulownia, natural finish
Front inscription: “Karamono Tsuru-kubi Tea Caddy”
Back inscription: “Kara-tsuru-kubi” “Yōrō”
・Outer Box: Black lacquer; paper label with inscription; equipped with a lock
“Chinese Crane-Neck Tea Jar”
Field Notes (Record of Actual Observation)
On December 5, Taishō 9 (1920), I viewed the actual item at the residence of Count Tadamasa Sakai in Haramachi, Koishikawa Ward, Tokyo City.
The rim is thick with a shallow fold; the neck is long, and the body is bulging. The base is a circular pedestal (a design where the bottom is raised by one step) with fine incised lines, and the rim is worn. There are flat surfaces at the starting point and center of the incised lines, covering approximately half of them. The entire vessel is covered in a black glaze applied over a persimmon-gold glaze with a purplish tint (a glaze with a metallic luster in a persimmon hue), with areas where the glaze has not adhered around the rim. Additionally, a slight blue-lapis-lazuli hue is visible, and there are areas on both sides toward the lower part of the neck where the glaze appears to have recessed, adding further visual interest to this tea caddy.
From the rim downward, the vermilion-clay body is exposed, and there are marks from a spatula around the circular base. Inside, the glaze covers the rim, while below that, wheel marks are visible, and the center of the base features a distinct swirl pattern. Small in size yet rich in visual interest, this is the most visually striking of all Tang-style crane-neck tea caddies.
