Dick Bonham Posted December 17, 2006 Report Share Posted December 17, 2006 Hi, I thought the metalworkers among you would be interested in seeing a teapot that belongs to one of my restoration clients. This piece is made of raised hammered copper with silver, shakudo and gold inlays depicting flowers and pods with a butterfly on the opposite side. The piece is signed Yasuchika. The Yasuchika family were famous makers of sword furniture in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Their sword fittings can be seen on the Boston Museum of Fine and the Field Museum, Chicago web sites. I thought that this piece would be of interest because it shows the versatility of the Japanese metalworkers. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 Thank you, Dick, The images you post are always very interesting. Is the mottling around the vines and vegetation hammer marks? Very nice use of texturing. Is the ocher colored metal copper color or enhanced in some way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Rediske Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 I like the patina maybe well worn, or patinated/tooled to look that way?, the residue around the pattern may be soot, from charcoal. thanks for the image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bonham Posted December 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 Hi Janel and Samuel, The mottling around the pods seems to be oxidation. The pods are silver which has turned black which makes it look like the shakudo. The body is copper and the smith left the fine hammer marks on the surface to give the piece texture. The spout is fabricated from several pieces. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samuel Rediske Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Thanks Dick, how tall is that? I am trying to gauge scale but just cant quite nail it down, holds something like half a liter ? thanks, Samuel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bonham Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Hi Samuel, The teapot including handle is eight inches high. The metal inlays are not much larger than they would be on a tsuba. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ford hallam Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Hi Dick, I've always enjoyed Yasuchika work, you probably know, but Tsuchiya Yasuchika 1 was one of the first ( generally regarded as The first ) stuba-shi to really use textured grounds, such as on this example. One theory suggests that it was because he could'nt afford the services of a specialist nanako-shi. Anyway, he was, and is much appreciated for his variuos texured finishes as well as his somewhat more bold and colourful designs. The discolouration around the inlay etc, may also be as a result of having been deliberately suspended in the smoke of incense or smouldering pine needles. It's a procedure that is utilised to create instant age. It is'nt actually an oxide as such, rather a deposit of various oils and resins combined ( as Samuel suggested ) with soot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Bonham Posted December 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Hi Ford, Thank you for the information. Do you think this piece may be Yasuchika 1? I just traded it for some restoration work. I love the texture of the hammer marks on the copper. The discoloration is a buildup of material like you and Samuel suggested. Thanks again for the information. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ford hallam Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Do you think this piece may be Yasuchika 1? Dick, pm sent I wouldn't like to pronounce on a piece under these conditions but, from what I can see I don't believe he'd object to having this ascribed to him. It certainly bears many of his traits. Ford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kelso Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Lovely form, composition and color palette. Thanks Dick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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