

Japanese Antique Kiseru Pipe
Japanese Antique Bronze, Copper and Bamboo Tabaco Ire with Kiseru Pipe l Taisho Era
Age:1915
Descriptive qualities& condition:
Dimensions: Pipe - 9-1/2”l; Tonkotsu - 2-0” dia
This is a fine, unique Japanese Kiseru smoking pipe that is hand crafted during the early 20th century, Taisho Era, circa 1915, and crafted by samurai craftsmen. The piece was purchased at the Samurai Antique Shop in Kanazawa in the early 80s. This Kiseru is made of three fine materials, including a bronze and copper alloy mouthpiece, and Gankubi, (housing the bowl for burning tobacco), with a central section (Rau) of the bamboo stem, which was sometimes used for luxury Kiserus. The pipe is long-stemmed large with a tiny bowl (Hizara) used for smoking kizami, a finely chopped tobacco. The most unique feature is the beautiful glow relief engraving and chasing of the metalwork for it features two fish with scales, rosettes, and swirling scrollwork having an aged patina from over a century of use. The pipe is suspended by a silk cord and has a wood tobacco container, (Tabaco Ire) made in the shape of persimmon with a longer, tapering to a blunt point with a lid. This type of pipe was favored by the upper class and samurais, which are not martially related but still associated with Samurai culture as a whole in which they began to carry these simply crafted luxury items.
Condition: Excellent and a truly unique Kiseru has been loved and cared for, retains its warm aged patina, and remains in functionally fine condition.