Japanese Tetsubin with Wado Kaichin Coin

With a short spout and an elegant, arched handle, this Japanese teapot was used to boil water for traditional tea ceremonies. Known as tetsubin, the kettle’s cast-iron construction is said to change the quality of the water, making tea taste mellow and sweet. This tetsubin was cast with decorative coin motifs, including a large Wado Kaichin coin, the first coin minted by the Japanese government, c. 708. Made by pouring iron into clay or sand molds, the kettle has a rustic texture in pleasing contrast to its refined form and intricately incised bronze lid. The lid is signed by the artisan who crafted the kettle during Japan's Meiji period, an era when artisans began introducing elements of modern Western design into traditional forms.