Natsume (Japanese tea caddy), lacquer and gold, senmen (fan) motif by Ikkō Kiyose

This natsume (a container for matcha powder used in the Japanese tea ceremony) by Ikkō Kiyose, a master lacquer artist from Kanazawa, is a piece of remarkable quality. Entirely covered in urushi lacquer, it features a sumptuous senmen (fan) design in maki-e (gold powder decoration), whose finesse of execution and richness of golden nuances testify to the artisan’s virtuosity. The contrast between the brilliance of the gold and the depth of the black lacquer gives it exceptional elegance. The presence of the kao (monogram) and the calligraphy of Hōunsai, the fifteenth grand master of the Urasenke tea school, confirm the significant interest of this piece.

The Artisan
This natsume was created by the master craftsman Ikkō Kiyose, born in 1942 in Kanazawa, a lacquer master renowned for his mastery of maki-e. Heir to a lineage of artisans, he succeeded his father in 1986 and was designated a traditional master craftsman in 1995 (an official recognition guaranteeing skill, authenticity, prestige, and market value). His works are highly prized on the art market and in the world of chanoyu (the tea ceremony).

Design and Techniques
The design combines a particularly dense nashiji (lacquer sprinkled with gold particles) background with large fans unfolded across the lid and the walls of the natsume. The gold, highly concentrated on the upper part, disperses gradually into a fine rain of golden particles, allowing the shiny black urushi lacquer to appear on the lower part. This delicate transition between gold and black gives the decoration remarkable depth and radiance.

The fans, traditional auspicious motifs evoking prosperity and flourishing, feature golden backgrounds with subtly varied nuances, crafted in kinji (gold ground). Their surfaces host compositions of extreme finesse: a pine tree with delicately drawn branches, a flock of birds, and chrysanthemum flowers. The motifs, executed in maki-e with slight reliefs, reveal remarkable precision of line and a great command of texture effects. One of the fans also features raden (mother-of-pearl) inlays, whose blue and iridescent reflections add a touch of color to this gold-dominated composition. The pine, a symbol of longevity, and the chrysanthemum, associated with longevity and autumn, enrich the symbolic significance of the work.

The interior is entirely finished in nashiji, with Hōunsai’s kao (monogram) inscribed on the inside of the lid. Hōunsai is the tea name of Sen Sōshitsu XV (1923–2025), the fifteenth grand master of the Urasenke school, one of the main lineages of chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony).

Form and Usage
This low natsume (hira-natsume), whose shape resembles a go stone container, is traditionally used in the tea ceremony for usucha (thin tea). Its wide and balanced proportions particularly highlight the unfolding of the design.

Presentation
This natsume comes with its original tomobako (wooden storage box), bearing the name of the work, the artisan's signature and seal, and closed with a sanadahimo (cord).

The tomobako also features a kakitsuke (inscription) by Hōunsai. The natsume bears Hōunsai’s kao (monogram) on the inside of the lid. By affixing his kao and calligraphy to this natsume, Hōunsai certifies that he has selected and recognized the piece as worthy of use in chanoyu (tea ceremony), which reinforces its value and legitimacy.

Place of manufacture
Japan, Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture

Period
Heisei era (1989-2019)

Dimensions
Diameter 8.5 cm - Height 6 cm

Weight
Natsume only: 80 g
Natsume with boxes: 230 g

Materials
Wood, urushi lacquer, gold powders, mother-of-pearl

Condition
Good condition