{"product_id":"lnt-o-natsume-tea-caddy-ー川北-良造-大棗","title":"LNT O-Natsume Tea Caddy ー川北 良造 “大棗”","description":"\u003cp\u003eA beautifully restrained Tea caddy turned from zelkova by Living National Treasure Kawagita Ryozo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled O-Natsume. One thing I find particularly appealing about Kawagita is that his starting point remains the functional vessel and the traditional skills of the kijishi. Yet the extreme refinement of the turning, sensitivity to grain, and occasional restrained inlay elevate his vessels into extraordinarily sophisticated works of modern kōgei. What makes this work particularly interesting is that he takes the extraordinary technical precision of the lathe-turned vessel and allows the character of the wood itself to dominate, carefully exploiting grain and figuring. It is 7.3 cm (3 inches) diameter, roughly the same height, and in perfect condition.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKawagita Ryōzō (b. 1934) is one of Japan’s foremost contemporary woodworkers and was designated a Living National Treasure for woodcraft (mokukōgei) in 1994. Born in Yamanaka, Ishikawa Prefecture, a region celebrated for its long tradition of lacquerware and woodturning, he learned the fundamentals of the kijishi tradition from his father, Kawagita Kōichi, before studying under the distinguished woodcraft artist Himi Kōdō. Kawagita first exhibited at the Japan Traditional Kōgei Exhibition in 1962 and went on to receive numerous awards, including the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1999 and the Order of the Rising Sun in 2004. Working with such woods as zelkova, horse chestnut, maple, and black persimmon, he is particularly renowned for lathe-turned vessels of exceptional precision and refinement, often allowing the natural grain and figuring of the wood to become their principal decoration, while occasionally incorporating delicate gold or silver wire, shell, or other inlay. Deeply rooted in the functional traditions of Japanese woodcraft and the utensils of tea and dining, his work transforms bowls, trays, containers, and tea wares into objects of quiet sculptural presence, balancing extraordinary technical control with a profound sensitivity to the individual character of the wood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kawagita Ryozo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51326154539255,"sku":"K1629","price":142200.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-09_12.47.32.jpg?v=1792118134","url":"https:\/\/kuramonzen.com\/products\/lnt-o-natsume-tea-caddy-%e3%83%bc%e5%b7%9d%e5%8c%97-%e8%89%af%e9%80%a0-%e5%a4%a7%e6%a3%97","provider":"Kura Monzen Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}