chaire (Tea Container)

Called chaire (ÞîÂÕàÑÒéî), this is a type of tea caddy used for storing concentrated think green powdered tea to serve koicha (µ┐âÞîÂ; ÔÇ£thick teaÔÇØ) in a traditional form of the Japanese tea ceremony known as sad┼ì or chad┼ì (ÞîÂÚüô; the way of tea) and chanoyu (ÞîÂÒü«µ╣»). This elaborate ritual became an important part of JapanÔÇÖs social fabric early in the 16th century, and is a choregraphed way of preparing and serving tea. Koicha is served at a chaji (a more formal tea ceremony than a chakai). Seto ware (þǼµê©þä╝, Seto-yaki) was produced under the auspices of the Owari clan.

Ed5.3160-64 (five ceramic tea caddies) were purchased from Sotheby's, NY, in 1982. The containers each had an ivory lid, however the lids were seized at the border due to the ban on the export and import of material derived from endangered species (CITES).

Seto ware ceramic tea caddy (without its lid). Flat base showing rough, dark grey-brown body. Squat cylindrical form curving sharply inward at shoulder to short neck, rounded lip. Thick iridescent coffee-coloured glaze thins over lip, pools darkly beneath it, thinning again at the shoulder. From there dark brown streaks, sometimes exhibiting, crackling fall over the glossy surface to the base, where glaze chipped in one place. Two matte brown repairs, and two gold lacquer ones, located on lip.