Tokoname Japanese Clay Teapots - Seiho Black and Brown Square

 
 

Artist: Seiho ( Tsuzuki Takao )
Kiln: Toubou Seihou
Strainer-style: Clay sesame
Packaging: Paulownia wood box, artist signed and tied with signature ribbon

This stunning and unusual teapot is very charismatic: it invites onlookers to pick it up and take a closer look. The colors are dark and masculine, and the overall aesthetic is firmly Japanese, but the rounded corners introduce a soft quality to the shape and design. I am not sure what Seiho had in mind when he designed this teapot, but to me the shape is reminiscent of a superbly designed kama (a large, handleless, lidded cast iron vessel used to hold hot water for chanoyu, the Japanese tea ceremony ) that I admired long ago in a tearoom in Japan. Certain shapes recur in Japanese tablewares, and it is interesting to observe the crossover of shapes when used with different materials.