{"product_id":"fukagawa-seiji-1937-sometsuke-tea-set","title":"Fukagawa Seiji Pre-War Arita Sometsuke Tea Set — Kyusu + 5 Yunomi with Signed Tomobako, 1937 Showa","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA 1937 Pre-War Fukagawa Seiji Tea Set — Imperial Household Purveyor, Signed Paulownia Box, Almost Unused.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a rare opportunity to acquire a complete six-piece tea service from Fukagawa Seiji 深川製磁 — founded in 1894 in Arita, Saga Prefecture, and granted the title of \u003cem\u003eKunaisho Goyo-tashi\u003c\/em\u003e (宮内省御用達, “Purveyor to the Imperial Household”) in 1910. The set comprises one side-handle kyusu teapot and five matching yunomi cups, decorated in cobalt underglaze (sometsuke 染付) with stylized blue florals against a luminous white porcelain body, finished with hand-applied gilt rims and a gilt finial.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe set has rested in its original signed paulownia tomobako (共桐木箱) for nearly nine decades. Remarkably, the factory-original transparent protective sleeve on the teapot spout is still present — strong evidence the set was never put into daily use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSet composition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e1 × Kyusu (横手急須, side-handle teapot) — H9.5 × ⌀10 cm body (3.7″ × 3.9″), 273 g (9.6 oz), with internal honeycomb ceramic strainer\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e5 × Yunomi (湯呑, tea cups) — rim ⌀9 × foot ⌀4 × H5.7 cm (3.5″ × 1.6″ × 2.2″), 78 g (2.75 oz) each\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e1 × Original signed paulownia wood box (kiribako 桐木箱)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e2 × Enclosed paper cards — one vintage company-history insert, one modern care insert (the modern insert was added in later years by a previous keeper; the vintage card is original to the set)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e1 × Original factory spout protector (transparent silicone sleeve with hanging cord)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMarks \u0026amp; seals (provenance evidence)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eCup foot: Mt. Fuji + 「深川製」 hand-brushed cobalt underglaze (standard Fukagawa Seiji mark)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eKyusu lid interior: identical Mt. Fuji + 「深川製」 mark (premium pre-war single-marking standard)\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eTomobako: brush-written 「茶器揃 宮内省御用達 深川製磁」 in sumi ink\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eTomobako red seals: 「美術有田燒」 (Art Arita Ware grade), Mt. Fuji + 深川 square seal, and a quality-inspection edge stamp\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003eDating evidence: the box vocabulary 「宮内省」 was retired in 1947 when the ministry was reorganized — placing this set definitively before 1947. The original owner identified the production year as Showa 12 (1937).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e — Almost unused (未使用に近い)\u003cbr\u003e\nAll six ceramic pieces are intact and free of chips, cracks, kiln scars, and gilt wear. The interior honeycomb strainer shows no tea residue. The original spout protector — which would normally be removed and discarded on first use — is still in place, supporting the “almost unused” classification.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCultural context\u003c\/strong\u003e — Fukagawa Seiji rose to international prominence with its Grand Prize at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle and remains one of the foundational houses of modern Arita ware. The high-temperature 1350°C white porcelain body and the signature “Fukagawa Blue” tonal-gradient underglaze are unmistakable hallmarks of the studio. Pre-war Fukagawa with original tomobako is uncommon on the secondary market; complete six-piece sets in this condition are rarer still.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUse\u003c\/strong\u003e — Suited to sencha green tea or gyokuro service for a small gathering, displayed as a collectible heirloom, or as a museum-quality gift for a serious collector of Japanese ceramics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCare\u003c\/strong\u003e — Hand-wash only with mild, neutral detergent and a soft cloth. Do not microwave (gilt rim and gilt finial contain metal). Do not dishwash. Avoid sudden temperature changes. Store the box in a low-humidity environment away from direct sunlight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReference Conversions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nKyusu: 9.5 × 10 cm = 3.7″ × 3.9″; 273 g = 9.6 oz\u003cbr\u003e\nYunomi: 9 × 4 × 5.7 cm = 3.5″ × 1.6″ × 2.2″; 78 g = 2.75 oz\u003cbr\u003e\nTotal ceramic weight: 663 g = 1.46 lb\u003cbr\u003e\nCapacity estimates (not supplier-published): kyusu ~250 mL (8.5 fl oz), yunomi ~80 mL (2.7 fl oz) each\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e• Originally made by \u003cstrong\u003eFukagawa Seiji 深川製磁\u003c\/strong\u003e (Imperial Household Purveyor, est. 1894) in Arita, Saga Prefecture, Japan in 1937 (Showa 12), curated by ZenKiln\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAbout ZenKiln — A Japan-based curator connecting international collectors with Japan’s artisan ceramic tradition. We work closely with the kilns, workshops, and makers featured in our shop — each one disclosed in our About section — and hand-pack every piece in Japan for safe delivery worldwide.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShipping\u003c\/strong\u003e — Hand-packed in the original paulownia box, wrapped with archival tissue and a custom double-walled outer carton. Insured international tracked shipping from Japan, typically 7–14 business days. Duties \u0026amp; customs are the buyer’s responsibility.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"ZenKiln","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47692572786918,"sku":"TEA-ARI-SHW-00001","price":1058.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0779\/5392\/5350\/files\/DSC09139.webp?v=1779151449","url":"https:\/\/zen-kiln.com\/en-ca\/products\/fukagawa-seiji-1937-sometsuke-tea-set","provider":"ZenKiln","version":"1.0","type":"link"}