Antique Japanese Ceramic Tanba Chaire with Lid

A stoneware ceramic chaires (Tea caddies) of Ko-seto ware type from Edo period Japan circa 18th century. This type of small jar was made of stoneware possibly in Tanba (Tamba) kilns, located in Tachikui, Hyogo Prefecture. One of the six ancient kilns in Japan, the origin of Tamba ware can be dated to the medieval period. The squad round form with a relatively large mouth distinguishes this piece from the ones made in Seto, Prototyped from Chinese chaire, the container was considered the most important piece of the accoutrement for Chado (tea ceremony).
This Charie was from the same collection as the other two Seto chaires on offer (see last picture; deaccessioned from Yale University Art Gallery collection). The jar features a finely grooved exterior surface that covers nearly the entire body except the base. Residues of ash glaze could be discerned on one side. The ivory lid was turned and gold-foiled on the bottom. It has three dark old crack lines. The base of the jar and the lid retain various old collecting paper labels with numbers and hand-written numbers as shown.