Hounsai-Konomi Spring Grass Maki-e Ikkan O-Natsume by Ohashi Sokan

Discover this Hounsai-Konomi Spring Grass Maki-e O-Natsume by lacquer master Ohashi Sokan. This Urasenke Grand Master endorsed Gold Lacquer Natsume features Ikkan-nuri Lacquer construction and Spring Grass Maki-e on Vermillion Lacquer Art—a must-have for any Art Collector seeking Chado Collectible Art and Wabi Sabi Lacquerware.

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🔹 [ BASIC DETAILS ]

• Artist: Ohashi Sokan (大端宗閑) — Nushi / lacquer artisan (塗師)
• Technique: Gold maki-e (蒔絵) on vermillion urushi; ikkan-nuri (一閑塗) paper-core construction
• Design Authorization: Hounsai-konomi (鵬雲斎好) — design preferred by Hounsai, 15th Grand Master of Urasenke
• Origin: Japan
• Dimensions: Height approx. 7 cm, Diameter approx. 7.2 cm (2.8" × 2.8")
• Form: O-natsume (大棗) — large-format tea caddy
• Box: Tomobako inscribed '鵬雲斎好 春草蒔絵 一閑 大棗 / 宗閑' with red square seal
• Condition: Excellent — lacquer surface pristine; maki-e decoration sharp and intact

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🔹 [ CULTURAL & ARTISTIC INSIGHT ]

The designation 'Hounsai-konomi' (鵬雲斎好) carries profound weight in the world of chanoyu. Hounsai — Sen Soshitsu XV — guided Urasenke through the latter half of the 20th century, and utensils bearing his konomi represent designs he personally selected and approved. This endorsement transforms a tea caddy from the work of a single artisan into a piece validated by the living lineage of Sen no Rikyu. The spring grass motif (harukusa) evokes the Seven Grasses of Autumn reimagined in vernal spirit — bush clover, bellflower, miscanthus, and dianthus rendered in gold across the vermillion field. In chanoyu, such seasonal vocabulary is never decorative alone; it signals the host's attentiveness to time and place.

*"Gold grasses on crimson lacquer — spring contained in the palm of the hand."*

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🔹 [ DEEP-DIVE COMMENTARY ]

**Ikkan-nuri Tradition**: The ikkan-nuri technique distinguishes this natsume from solid-wood counterparts. Layers of washi paper are shaped over a mold and coated with successive applications of urushi, producing a vessel of extraordinary lightness — a quality immediately apparent when the caddy is lifted. This featherweight presence is central to the ikkan tradition, originally associated with the Hiki Ikkan lineage of lacquer artists patronized by the tea schools.

**Maki-e Composition**: Sokan's maki-e rendering of the grasses demonstrates controlled spontaneity: each stem and blossom appears to sway independently, yet the composition circles the body of the natsume in balanced rhythm. The gold particles catch light differently as the caddy is rotated — a kinetic quality that reveals itself only during the intimate handling of temae.

**Grand Master Endorsement**: The generous o-natsume proportion suggests its intended use for koicha gatherings of scale and formality. Hounsai's konomi designation elevates this piece beyond individual craft into the institutional memory of Urasenke — a validation that transcends market value.

**Provenance and Documentation**: The tomobako bears both the Hounsai-konomi inscription and Sokan's name with red seal, providing dual authentication — by the endorsing Grand Master and the executing artisan.

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🔹 [ 日本語解説 ]

【基本情報】
• 作家：大端宗閑（塗師）
• 好み：鵬雲斎好（裏千家十五代）
• 技法：金蒔絵・一閑塗
• 産地：日本
• 寸法：高さ約7cm、径約7.2cm
• 付属：共箱（「鵬雲斎好 春草蒔絵 一閑 大棗 宗閑」墨書・朱方印）
• 状態：美品

【解説】
塗師・大端宗閑作、鵬雲斎好の春草蒔絵一閑大棗です。朱漆の地に金蒔絵で萩・桔梗・薄・撫子など春草文様が優美に描かれています。一閑塗による紙胎構造のため、手に取ると驚くほど軽く、茶席での扱いに独特の品格をもたらします。「鵬雲斎好」の箱書きは裏千家十五代家元のお好みを示し、茶道具としての格式を保証するものです。共箱に墨書と朱方印。漆面・蒔絵ともに状態良好です。

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🔹 [ SHIPPING & PACKAGING ]
• Dispatch: Within 1-6 business days
• Carrier: Japan Post EMS / UPS (with tracking)
• Packaging: Carefully wrapped with protective materials

*Spring grasses circle vermillion lacquer — Urasenke's lineage held in paper and gold.*