Posted 4 years ago
kwqd
(1186 items)
This Iwachu cast iron kyusu is 5.5" in diameter and 3" high minus spout, lid and handle. It weighs 3 lbs 4 ounces and holds 20 ounces of water. It has the Iwachu mark under the spout. It is probably 30-50 years old.
I've wanted an example of Japanese kyusu with a maple leaf theme for my collection and found this one comparatively inexpensive. I expected it to be a bit thrashed and was not disappointed. The seller said they bought it in 2004 from a craft show at Grand Central Station in New York City, just put it on a shelf as a decoration and never used it but I could tell it had been used before that from the seller's images. It was the cheapest one I could find, but I now think it might have been better to bide my time and wait for another one in better condition. It was at the upper limit of what I will pay for a kyusu.
On the positive side, it still has its original strainer though it is a bit mashed out of shape and I had to hammer a ding out of the rim. The urushi lining is also nearly mint inside the pot. Using a damp paper towel, I was able to get a fair amount of tea stain out of the interior. It does not have any major cosmetic damage. No one has ever made the mistake of using it to heat water or used a warmer to keep it warm.
On the negative side, the handle is badly sprung and there is no tension at all when it is mounted to the pot, so it just flops freely from side to side. It is so sprung that it is easy to remove it from the pot which gives me concerns about handling it when filled with boiling water. There is a bit of wear and scuffing around where the handle fits on the pot as it has apparently been off and on numerous times. There is a bit of rust and chipping to the urushi lining under the lid and to the rim of pot where the strainer rests. There are several spots where the green finish has been scraped or rubbed off and a few spots of rust all over the pot. No care was taken to protect the bottom of the pot and it shows significant wear where the finish has worn off. I would not call the general wear to the finish signs of honest use but due to neglect and carelessness.
I've mentioned that I am not a fan of non-traditional finishes likes this and a fair amount of it rubbed off when I was cleaning the pot up. I've spent a bit of time banging on the handle with a heavy rubber mallet to try to tighten it up, with no noticeable effect. I will experiment with with this one to see what can be done to correct rust issues on a pot like this. I may try to remove the green finish and use green tea deal with the rust. I could find no information about the care of pots like this so am left with experimentation.
Beautiful maple leaf design, fabulous pot & wonderful find Kevin
Oh, this one's a beauty!! You have such an outstanding collection of Japanese Kyusu.
Thanks for your comment, Jenni! I really like kyusu that use nature themed designs.
Thank you for your comment jscott0363! They are very addictive. Apparently, kyusu are not much collected in the US so used ones are pretty inexpensive.
Thanks for loving the kyusu that is currently at the top of my pile Watchsearcher, jscott0363, aura, Kevin and Jenni!
Thanks fortapache!
you got very nice Tetsubin Nanbu Tekki (tetsubin) only are the Nanbu tekki Iwaju missing or am i wrong, do you have pressed spatula yohougata ?
Nanbu Seiko - Momijimon Tetsubin early showa is missing i think, but no sweat excellent collection
i see katsurgi -japan (ebay) make deals on this stuff (wholesale) i saw in my cargo list
correction katsuragi
Thanks for your comments, apostata! I appreciate it! I only have the pots which are shown on CW.
I mainly collect cast iron kyusu, not tetsubin. I know that many are now calling kyusu "tetsubin", but I cling to the traditional identification of a cast iron teapot as a kyusu and a kettle for boiling water as a tetsubin. It makes discussing them easier for me.
I have many gaps in my kyusu collection. I am trying to limit my purchase price to $40 USD or less for a cast iron kyusu, including tax and shipping, and have found most of the ones in my collection for less than that price. I paid more for two of them but the most I have paid for one is under $70. Just trying to not sink too much money into this collection. It makes it a bit more challenging, but fun, and means I have to use my searching and negotiation skills.
I do have two testsubin (kettles) in my collection, but I just wanted a couple of examples. I paid under $70 for the smaller one and under $50 for the larger one. I may add more if I find inexpensive ones!
Thanks for checking out my Japanese maple leaf theme kyusu Thomas!
Love the vintage patina, beautiful !~
Thanks PhilDMorris! Maybe not quite vintage, but a few decades old.
Thanks Theonlyone!
Thanks for your comment Eileen! I think it will clean up and adjust nicely. I have gotten kyusu in much worse shape in order.
Thanks for loving my Japanese maple leaf themed kyusu Eileen, NaVi8274 and dav2no1!
Thank you Eclector!
Thanks SEAN68!
Thanks vcal!
The Japanese maple leaf design is so graceful and lovely.
Thanks for your comments rhineisfine! I really like this design, too!