{"product_id":"early-kenjo-karatsu-guinomi-in-a-lacquer-ball-box","title":"Early Kenjo Karatsu Guinomi in a Lacquer Ball Box","description":"\u003cp\u003eFissures filled with color from overzealous cheers run down from the rim, of this early Edo period Karatsu Sake cup found in a silk pouch contained in a six lobed ball lacquered red and black which is in turn, in a silk pouch contained in an age darkened Kiri-wood box. This is, I believe, Kenjo Karatsu: pottery made originally as ceramic ware made to be presented to the Tokugawa shogunate by the lords of Karatsu Castle in Hizen. The tradition is said to have begun in the Kan’ei era (1624–1644), when the Karatsu lord Terazawa Hirotaka ordered craftsmen at the Shi-no-mine kilns to produce tea bowls specifically for presentation to the shogunate. Thereafter successive lords of Karatsu, including members of the Ōkubo, Matsudaira, Doi, and Mizuno families, continued the practice of commissioning such wares for tribute. This one comes in a beautifully lacquered bal which is a work of art in etself, and both are contained in silk pouches. The cup is 6.2 cm (2-1\/2 inches) diameter, 4.1 cm (1-1\/2 inches) tall. The lacquered container is 9 cm (3-1\/2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50662116950263,"sku":"K1301","price":208400.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-03-0817.25.16.jpg?v=1775353802","url":"https:\/\/kuramonzen.com\/products\/early-kenjo-karatsu-guinomi-in-a-lacquer-ball-box","provider":"Kura Monzen Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}