Tea Caddy, Pail shape; Lotus and heron design in overglaze enamels

Formerly among the collection of the Konoike family of Osaka, this piece was one of a set of five but was separated from the others when it was sold in 1940. The set was originally made in China, commissioned from Japan as mukozuke dishes for serving food. The red sandalwood lid was added later so that the object could be used as a tea caddy in tea ceremonies. An air of intelligence is presented by the effective black lines applied for the design.