EXCEPTIONAL OBJECTS
RARE NATSUME
Natsume are small Japanese tea boxes, made of light wood, natural urushi lacquer and wonderful maki-e decorations with gold powder for the most beautiful ones, used to hold powdered matcha tea during the traditional tea ceremony.
These are magnificent objects, superb individually or in groups, perfect for displaying together on a beautiful tray or in a glass case. We offer only high-quality natsume, crafted from genuine wood, finished with urushi lacquer and maki-e gold powder, and presented in their original tomobako protective boxes made of paulownia or cedar wood, signed by the artisan. Most of our natsume date from the Shōwa (1926-1986) and Heisei (1989-2019) periods, but a few may be older. The selection is regularly updated.
Know-how
NATSUME
In a single object, which fits in the palm of the hand, all the beauty of exceptional Japanese craftsmanship is concentrated: jet-black urushi lacquer after a multitude of layers applied week after week and a sumptuous maki-e decoration created by hand with gold powder applied using several techniques of incredible complexity. This object is the natsume.
One of the most important objects in the tea ceremony, the natsume is the small lacquer box containing the matcha tea powder, which, when examined with great attention by the guests, will reflect the quality of the experience through its artisanal excellence.
WRAPPING
Precious objects are wrapped in textiles tied using the Korean art of pojagi.