Vintage Japanese Cast Iron Tetsubin Wa Harmony Kanji Gold Orchid Brass Lid Showa 7.5"W LS#147

Japanese cast iron tetsubin (鉄瓶) — cylindrical hiragata form with gold 和 kanji and gold-and-silver orchid decoration, brass lid with silver chrysanthemum-and-cage finial

Vintage Japanese Shōwa Era, mid-20th century

A cylindrical flat-sided tetsubin of compact proportions, the body finished in iron-black with a ring of arare (霰, hailstone) dot texture at the shoulder. Side A bears a single large boldly rendered gold 和 (wa — harmony, peace, Japan) kanji, painted in a loose calligraphic hand. Side B carries repeat gold-and-silver orchid (ran, 蘭) sprays — a motif associated with refinement and scholarly cultivation, one of the traditional Four Gentlemen plants. The flat brass lid fits within the arare-textured rim and is surmounted by a finely cast two-tier silver-metal finial: a chrysanthemum (kiku) collar base supporting a reticulated spherical cage element with amber glass bead at the apex. This finial is a distinctive workshop signature shared across a group of related tetsubin. Copper bail handle with warm dark patina.

• Form: Hiragata (cylindrical flat-sided)
• Decoration: Gold 和 kanji; gold and silver orchid sprays
• Lid: Flat brass with silver chrysanthemum-and-cage finial, amber bead
• Handle: Copper bail
• Dimensions: 7.5" W × 9" H (19 × 23 cm)
• Period: Shōwa, mid-20th century

Condition: Unused.