Golden Treasures: Japanese Gold Lacquer Boxes - Erik Thomsen

5Octagonal Tea CaddyNokaze 野 風 »Wind in the Fields«Hōsai 方 斎 (ac. Meiji period)Meiji period (1868 –1912), 19th centuryH 3" × L 2 ¼" × W 2 ¼"(7.4 cm × 5.5 cm × 5.5 cm)Tea caddy in rare octagonal form, with black lacqueron a wood base and hiramakie gold lacquerdécor of tall wind-blown grasses. The raised calligraphyon the cover in takamakie silver lacquerreads »Nokaze «[ 野 風 ] (Wind in the Fields).The box is inscribed in red lacquer by the tea masterHorinouchi Sōkan ( 堀 内 宗 完 ) (1843 – 98), whosigned on the bottom »Matsuō« [ 松 翁 ] and addedhis kakihan monogram to the inside of the cover asa further form of identification. Horinouchi Sōkan,who was also called Matsuō Sōkan ( 松 翁 宗 完 ), wasthe eighth generation head of the Horinouchi lineof tea masters closely connected to the UrasenkeSchool. Sōkan was especially known for his refinedtaste and for his expertise in lacquer tea objects.This tea caddy was brought to him for his expertise,and he wrote on the outer tomobako that thecaddy was in the taste of another tea master, LordSansai. Sansai, or Hosokawa Tadaoki ( 細 川 忠 興 )(1563 –1646), was a great tea master whose taste intea was highly praised. He founded the Sansai lineof tea practitioners (Sansai-ryū 三 斎 流 ).The tea caddy comes with its original fitted kiriwoodtomobako box, which is inscribed on the top»Nokaze chaire« [ 野 風 茶 入 ] (Tea Container with[design of] Wind in the Fields) and signed on thebottom »Tōshi Hōsai« [ 塗 師 方 斎 ] (the lacquer artistHōsai) with a round seal reading »Kankyo« [ 関 裾 ].The reverse side of the lid is signed with the kakihanor monogram of the tea master Horinouchi Sōkanand inscribed »Sansai-kō aji fū« [ 三 斎 侯 味 風 ] (In thetaste of Lord Sansai).12