Kashiki or bowl for Tea Ceremony sweets in a round, deep walled form set on a short foot ring, ornamented on the exterior sides with autumn susuki or plumed pampas grasses with dew drops; and on the interior with a summer motif of dew laden flowering tessen or clematis. Of cloisonné enamels executed in silver wire, and shosen or reduced wire technique on the interior, the exterior grasses also in low relief moriage, and the dew drops in totai-jippo or pierced body enamel (where the design is cut through the body like a window and filled with transparent enamel). With applied silver rims. Signed on the reverse in silver wired enamels by the artist: Hattori Zo or Made by Hattori (Hattori Tadasaburo of Nagoya, active Meiji – Early Taisho Era). Late Meiji Era, circa 1900 – 1912.

With the tomobako or original box, inscribed on the exterior of the lid: Shippo Kashibachi or Cloisonné Enamel Bowl for Tea Sweets; and on the interior: Shippo Kashibachi or Cloisonné Enamel Bowl for Tea Sweets, and sealed, then inscribed: Takara no Do or Treasure Hall, and signed: Hattori Tsukuru or Made by Hattori, and sealed.

This extraordinary enamel bowl joins two entirely separate designs in the dew drops which pierce its walls like windows and ornament both the interior and exterior. Delicate shading and coloration tints the vining clematis, thinly and elegantly wired in silver. The bolder pampas grass of the exterior is rendered in a more broadly painterly technique, with wider “washes” of colored enamels, defined by extraordinary wiring. Thicker silver wires textured with a chisel, are bent and crimped to echo the effects of brush strokes.

After the piece was first made, a later owner ordered a black lacquer lid for the bowl, in order to use it as a water container for late summer Matcha Tea Ceremony.

A magnificent example of the enameler’s art, this kashibachi employs a wide vocabulary of difficult techniques to beautiful effect.