Tada Keikan Korin Pine Maki-e Natsume, Ito-me Lacquer Tea Caddy

Experience Authentic Japan Art with this Natsume Tea Caddy. This Maki-e Lacquer piece features Korin Pine motifs in the Rinpa Style by Tada Keikan of Yamanaka Nuri tradition. A distinguished Tea Ceremony vessel with Ito-me Lacquer finish and Lacquerware Art craftsmanship, serving as a Matcha Container and Chanoyu Utensil—a must-have Japanese Craft for any collector.

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🔹 [ Basic Details ]

• Artist: Tada Keikan (多田桂寛)
• Form: Chu-natsume (medium tea caddy for koicha)
• Dimensions: Height approx. 6.5 cm, Diameter approx. 6.5 cm
• Technique: Tame-nuri lacquer with ito-me (thread-eye) ridged texture, gold maki-e
• Motif: Korin-style pine trees (光琳松)
• Origin: Yamanaka-nuri tradition, Ishikawa Prefecture
• Box: Signed tomobako with purple silk cord
• Condition: Excellent — no chips, cracks, or structural damage
• Era: Contemporary (2010s)

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🔹 [ Cultural & Artistic Insight ]

The motif of Korin-matsu (光琳松) references Ogata Korin (1658-1716), the Rinpa school master whose decorative, flattened approach to natural subjects became a defining aesthetic in Japanese art. Korin's pine trees — stylized, sweeping, boldly outlined — appear across screens, textiles, and lacquerware as symbols of longevity, resilience, and enduring elegance.

Tada Keikan, a recognized artisan in the Yamanaka-nuri lineage of Ishikawa Prefecture, applies this iconic motif with refined maki-e technique. The gold pines on the lid are rendered with delicate outlining and flat decorative form, honoring Korin's vision while demonstrating Keikan's technical precision.

The ito-me (糸目/thread-eye) lacquer finish — fine horizontal ridges applied to the tame-nuri burgundy surface — adds a subtle tactile dimension. This technique, found in higher-grade tea ceremony lacquerware, creates a play of light and shadow across the surface, deepening the visual experience.

"A grove of pines, rendered flat and still — Korin taught us that decoration, when honest, becomes its own form of truth."

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🔹 [ Deep-Dive Commentary ]

**The Korin Pine Legacy**: Ogata Korin's approach to pine trees distilled the subject to its essential decorative qualities — sweeping canopy forms, bold gold outlines, and flat pictorial space. This aesthetic, inherited through the Rinpa lineage, became a standard motif in Japanese lacquerware, ceramic, and textile arts. Keikan's interpretation maintains the stylized clarity while adapting it to the intimate scale of a natsume lid.

**Ito-me Technique**: The fine horizontal ridges on the body require controlled application during the lacquering process, creating evenly spaced lines that catch light and reveal subtle gradations in the burgundy tame-nuri finish. This surface treatment elevates the natsume beyond smooth, uniform lacquer, adding a layer of sensory engagement — both visual and tactile.

**Collector Significance**: This natsume bears documentation through its signed tomobako — the inscription reads Korin-matsu Maki-e, Chu-natsume (光琳松蒔絵 中棗), signed Keikan (桂寛) with seal. This provenance chain is essential in Japanese art collecting, establishing authenticity and the artist's intention.

**Functional Design**: The chu-natsume form is the standard size for koicha (thick tea) in tea ceremony practice. Its rounded cylindrical shape, smooth black interior, and secure lid fit reflect generations of functional refinement. The condition is excellent — interior retains glossy black finish, lid fits securely.

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[ JAPANESE DESCRIPTION / 日本語解説 ]

🔹 [ 基本情報 ]

• 作家：多田桂寛
• 形状：中棗（濃茶用）
• 寸法：高さ約6.5cm、直径約6.5cm
• 技法：溜塗・糸目仕上げ、金蒔絵
• 意匠：光琳松（琳派様式）
• 産地：石川県山中塗
• 付属：共箱（紫紐）
• 状態：良好。割れ・欠けなし。

🔹 [ 解説 ]

多田桂寛作、光琳松蒔絵を施した中棗です。蓋には琳派の祖・尾形光琳の様式に倣った装飾的な松の蒔絵が金で描かれており、平面的で優美な構図が特徴です。

胴部は深い朱溜塗に糸目（いとめ）と呼ばれる細かな横筋の加飾技法が施されており、光の当たり方によって微妙な陰影が生まれます。この糸目技法は高級茶道具に多く見られる仕上げで、視覚的・触覚的な奥行きを与えます。

光琳松の意匠は、松が持つ「常緑」「長寿」「不屈」の象徴性と、琳派の装飾美学が融合したものです。作者の多田桂寛は石川県山中塗の系譜に連なる漆芸家で、共箱には作者自筆の銘と落款が記されています。

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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