Kyusu storage box

[Travelogue88]

I'm looking for a nice storage box for my kyusu and I came across this wholeseller: Yamadera

http://www.yamaderakk.co.jp/chaki%20chabako.html
(I'm thinking option A or B)
and this:

http://www.yamaderakk.co.jp/keitai.html
(last box @ the bottom)

Since this is a wholeseller, I can't directly buy from the company, has anyone seen a store with these products?

Please get back to me!

[Chip]

There are older Japanese teaware boxes on ebay all the time. It is a matter of finding the right size.

Alternately, if you are dealing with vendors in Japan, they frequently have the wood boxes that buyers did not want, yeah crazy, but true.

Sorry, that is all I know.

[Travelogue88]

Hm thanks. >_< this is going to be a harder endeavor than I thought. The teapot I got had an option of a wooden box but thats +20 and another +15 for shipping. No way was I going to pay that. So i though might as well get a different box and pay shipping under $20.

[JBaymore]

If that was a traditional kirihako (Palownia wood box) then that is the kind of price you usually get for them with a piece. Should also be signed in some manner..... unless the piece is really "commercial" and factory made.

Wholesale to the potter for even small decent boxes in Japan is not all that cheap. It is easy to have one for a kyusu cost at least 1000 円. So at 100% markup (pretty standard) it is over $20 US. Then there is prep time to sign, and signing.

Some of the custom wooden boxes I have made up for larger pieces cost me as much as $100. Of course that is for a pretty expensive piece that goes IN the box .

best,

................john

[Margules]

chicagopotter posted this a few threads back:
http://www.yamaderakk.co.jp/keitai.html

They sell the boxes, but you won't really end up saving much money, and if you had gotten the original, it probably would have been signed by the artist. I've never really heard of an artist charging extra for a box though, its usually included in the price of the work.

[chicagopotter]

Actually I posted: http://www.wabiarts.com/catalog.htm which is for a tomobako.

Correct me if I'm wrong, I believe we may be talking about 2 different types of boxes. Seems Travelogue88 might be looking at more of an everyday storage chest as opposed to the artist signed tomobako (such as we get w/ the TeaChat SOs)?

Here's this thread too: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=5303

[Margules]

I'm sorry, you did post just the main site.
I just sort of figured he was talking about a tomobako when he said he was offered a wooden box. I have seen a few vendors in Japan list them as optional so that they can quote lower shipping prices to the US, and then charge more if you want it.

[TIM]

Perhaps a visit to a local cigar store. Most likely they will have empty wood boxes for a couple of bucks. Bring your pot and match up the size. I do store most of mine in those. Good luck. T

[MarshalN]

I can tell you that ANYTHING wood from Japan will inevitably crack upon long term storage in the USA.

[Ritva]

This is probably not the best/cheapest solution for your storage box problem, but if there are some products from Yamadera that you absolutely want to buy then Toru from Artistic Nippon can help. He gets some stuff from Yamadera - I assume it's mainly cheaper teaware that he doesn't offer on his website but sells for local customers. Last summer, I ordered two glass cups for iced sencha. I had seen those cups on Yamadera catalogue and Toru ordered them for me. He's always very helpful. These are the cups that I bought:

[Jayaratna]

I can tell you that ANYTHING wood from Japan will inevitably crack upon long term storage in the USA.

It's global warming, reduce your heating (wear in wool), save the world.


I really don't know if it's your case, but I've seen wood cracking in overheated houses. Keeping boxes filled with water on radiators will also help (they do this for saving harpsichords' soundboards here).

A

[JBaymore]

I've never really heard of an artist charging extra for a box though, its usually included in the price of the work.

For very inexpensive work it is not all that uncommon for it to be an option to "add" the signed box for a small fee. The more expensive works typically come with them.

There are also different "grades" of boxes..... as you can see at a very basic level if you go to the wabi-arts site mentioned here. The more expensive pieces typically come with better boxes.

best,

..................john

[JBaymore]

I can tell you that ANYTHING wood from Japan will inevitably crack upon long term storage in the USA.

I've got some boxes for pots (Bizen) that I've had here in the States for 35 years..... that are fine. Not even any lid warpage. I think it depends a lot on the local climate. Places like Arizona might be a REAL issue.

Also likely depends on your heating system in the winter, and if you use AC in the summer. We have no AC... and have an old steam heating system (OLD house) combined with wood stoves with kettles of water on them.

best,

.................john