tooth blackening container

Kettle from a teeth blackening set. It is made from brass, with embossed decoration of pine tree, Japanese plum, tachibana (citrus), crane, and turtle on the side, and peony on the base. On the spout are chrysanthemum petals. On the lid are Japanese plum and pine tree. There are scrolls on the handle. The knob is in the shape of a flower. The main body is made from one sheet of brass. It has a curved, swivelling handle over the top, and a small spout. The lid, similarly decorated, has a round knob.

Tooth blackening was practised in the Edo and early Meiji periods. It was banned in 1870.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
15.62.2
Date
mid-Edo period
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 114 mm x 92 mm x 72 mm; overall: 102 mm x 65 mm x 90 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
brass
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Ethnography
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Collection Information

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