Seiho Tsuzuki: Golden Sakura

A signature piece by the old master

One of the most recognisable traits in Master Seiho’s works is the calligraphic-like lively incisions on the tea vessel’s surface. To achieve such confidence in use the knife on a well made teapot like using a brush writing a running script, means years of experience and solid technical foundation. For an 82 year-old master, it also mean a healthy spirit and a steady hand. Golden Sakura is the best quality piece from renown and highly decorated artist’s stocks.

Yakishime 焼〆

The traditional kanji form of this is 焼締 — unglazed ceramic, which is both an oldest form of ceramic and a highly revered form of art in current Japanese collection circles. To us, it is its utilitarian value in infusion enhancement that matters.

Sasamè ささめ

In a ceramic teapot context, sasamè usually refers to the fine ceramic mesh strainer in the teapot. The term itself basically just means small, as in sasameyuki 細雪, small flying snow. Using here as a suffix to golden sakura 金桜 gives a poetic double meaning, describing the falling petals like drifting snow flake, which is a motive in classical Japanese poetry and literature — a key interest of Master Seiho.

This is a handmade item. Each individual piece delivered may have slight variations in colour, pattern, shape and details from the particular one used in these pictures.