Charcoal basket (sumikago) for the Sencha tea ceremony

三代早川尚古斎作　「提果烏府」

The sencha (steeped green tea) ceremony, popular in Japan into the first half of the twentieth century, has fewer rules than the chanoyu (powdered green tea) ceremony, and is characterized by miniature implements: teacups, saucers, and teapots. This tiny charcoal basket for use in sencha was made by one of the leading bamboo artists of his day and incorporates a naturally deformed piece of bamboo for the handle.