Natsume (tea caddy) lacquer and gold, hanamaru decoration by Shunsai Maehata III

A superb piece by Shunsai Maehata III (born in 1964), the third of that name in a renowned Ishikawa lineage, this large natsume (ōnatsume), used in the tea ceremony to serve usucha (lightly whipped tea), is handcrafted from turned wood and covered with urushi lacquer. The exceptionally delicate decoration unfolds in hanamaru, floral circles that organize the surface into a constellation of extremely precise and detailed emblems. The motifs are applied flat and in slight relief using a maki-e technique combining hiramaki-e and taka maki-e, with passages in togidashi maki-e. Some circles rest on very fine-grained nashiji backgrounds, punctuated with inlays of small kirikane gold squares. Beneath the decoration unfolds a background of very fine-grained togidashi-nashiji (konashiji), entirely strewn with gold particles which, polished to roiro ( (mirror finish), blend into the depth of black and create a subtle, almost nocturnal sheen. The interior is covered with a beautiful glossy black lacquer.

The hanamaru brings together several flowers and birds emblematic of Japanese culture. The ume evokes renewal and tenacity in the heart of winter. The chrysanthemum, the imperial flower, embodies longevity. The camellia, closely linked to the tea ceremony, suggests elegance and restraint. The peony represents joyful abundance. The iris, associated with seasonal protections, expresses righteousness. The sakura celebrate the brilliance of spring and the awareness of the passage of time. Birds fly through certain circles as an omen of joy and good fortune. Together, they form a wish for harmony, continuity, and gratitude toward nature throughout the seasons.

This natsume was crafted by the artisan Shunsai Maehata III, heir to the Maehata family business. Born in 1964 in Ishikawa Prefecture, he began his training in Wajima in 1982 and succeeded to the Shunsai name in 1985, perpetuating the family tradition of Kaga maki-e. The son of Maehata Gahō (Shunsai II, born in 1936), he has developed a demanding body of work focused on tea utensils, with an ornamental vocabulary characterized by meticulous drawing, the combined use of maki-e techniques, and research into materials and surface effects inherited from the Wajima school. His works have been exhibited in Japan and abroad, attesting to a practice firmly rooted in the transmission of skills within the workshop.

This is a unique example from the Heisei era (1989–2019). The piece is accompanied by a protective paulownia wood (kiribako) box, tied with a sanadahimo cord, bearing the artist's name, seal, and the title of the work, as well as a second protective box made of red lacquered wood, also tied with a cord. A protective cloth (tomonuno) bearing the artist's seal, and an informational document (shiori) detailing their profile, complete the set.