Chinese Tea Container Gourd with Inscription “Fukube”

Yuan-Ming dynasties, China (14^th-15^th Centuries)

Donated by the Homma Family

This tea container received the name of “Hyōtan Chaire” because of its resemblance to a hyōtan, a hollowed-out gourd used as a vessel. The shape builds up to a round rim, with a strong waist and greatly expanding trunk. The piece mixes amber and dark reddish-brown glazes, and we can also observe fingerprinting.

This tea container’s inscription, “Fukube,” is another word for a gourd container.