硯箱 suzuribako (writing box)

硯箱 suzuribako (writing box) , 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868) to early Meiji period (1868–1912)

Where object was made: Japan

Material/technique: brass; stone; carving; gold; lacquer

Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Length (Height x Width x Length): 4.8 x 22.5 x 24.5 cm
Object Height/Width/Length (Height x Width x Length): 1 7/8 x 8 7/8 x 9 5/8 in

Credit line: Gift of Jay Gates, Director, Spencer Museum of Art, 1984–1987

Accession number: 2012.0638.a-i

Not on display

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Teaching Gallery Label:
"The Tea Ceremony," Apr-2014, Kris Imants Ercums
Letter-writing and recordkeeping is an important aspect of tea practice. For centuries, many tea practitioners have kept extensive written records documenting their engagement with chanoyu. These included tea diaries (chakaiki), which record the persons, utensils, and menus for particular tea gatherings; lists of valuable tea utensils (meibutsuki); and philosophical ruminations on tea aesthetics and the spiritual aspects of the art.