Tea caddy
20th century
Tea caddies are used to store tea powders to keep them fresh. They are often prized items of tea ceremony practitioners. Created by a famed potter, this one holds two sets of silk storage bags as well as storage boxes. The multiple layers of wrapping signal the importance of the tea caddy and exemplify the Japanese tradition of wrapping.
Ceramic
Outer box: 7 1/8 x 9 3/4 x 4 1/4 in. (18.1 x 24.8 x 10.8 cm)
Inner box: 5 5/8 x 8 3/4 x 3 3/8 in. (14.3 x 22.2 x 8.6 cm)
Tea pot: 3 1/2 x 2 1/4 in. (8.9 x 5.7 cm)
Lid diameter: 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm)
Gift of Mary and Cheney Cowles
2017.8
Provenance: [Kogire-kai auction, Kyoto, Japan]; purchased by Mary and Cheney Cowles, 2017
Photo: Elizabeth Mann