Show off your Kettle!!

[Pig Hog]

I had a quick look about after spotting this thread. The cheapest I found was about $220 on artistic nippon and it had already sold. Everything else is at least 600/700/800 USD (aka out of my price range!)

We used to have a stainless stove-top kettle (western) at home, but I don't know what happened to it. What's the general opinion on the buildup of scale on kettles like these? I specifically avoid using the electric kettle, in favour of boiling water in a pan, because of the amount of scale that otherwise very quickly builds up and then gets dumped into my teapot. Should I really be that bothered by it, though?

[blairswhitaker]

Pighog, yes I am referring to used pieces, I believe artistic nippon only sells new. And of course here in kyoto their are numerous shops that carry used tea ware and then of course their are the flea markets.

[JBaymore]

For matcha....... the iron picked up in the water from the cast chagama used to traditionally heat the water REALLY makes a difference. Makes poor tea better...and great tea fabulous. If you are into drinking matcha...... without the "ceremony" aspects that might require a chagama and furo (or ro) ......... at the least pick up a UNLINED tetsubin and heat the water that way.

In Japan is is easy to find a nice condition used chagama in the $100-200 range. Sometimes even a bit antique if you get out of the major tourist places (and speak a little Japanese). And one will fit in a suitcase. So if you are traveling...............

best,

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

[debunix]

A thought about scale and iron kettles: do we know if it matters if the iron in contact with the water in the form of oxides/rust? If it doesn't, then a nice film of rust shouldn't be a problem....

Obviously, someone with access to fresh clean shiny iron-gray kettles and some nice used kettles with a film of rust would be in a good position to determine this.

[Fuut]

Wow how did i miss this topic!

I got one from eBay not too long ago, see pictures below. I was mainly interested in the Shrimp handle designs and its excellent condition, (by Joun Kanaya, for anyone that knows about metalworkers) Now i'm sourcing a base to house the charcoal. A tea-laddle in incoming as i write this:)

PS: Love all the pictures in here!

[debunix]

The shrimp are very cool.

[JBaymore]

Here is my main personal favorite Chagama (kettle) sitting on one of my Oribe glazed furo (brassiers) in a display setup in a solo exhibition. Very simple.

JohnBaymore-ChagamaAndFuro.jpg

best,

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

[blairswhitaker]

How great pieces!!! Fuut I really like the shape of that kettle, it's a real beauty.

John did you make that furo and the rest of the dogu in the picture? I was hoping to see your higata as well, but I guess if your showing the furo it would be in the way.

[JBaymore]

Yeah... the furo and all of the other chadogu are mine. It was a display in a solo show. The higata would not have worked in that setting.

Yup........ Fuut's Chagama is AWESOME!

best,

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

[Fuut]

Thank you for the feedback!

I was really lucky to win this chagama for about 215 USD. Which is still quite low, especially for one in this condition:) I felt very lucky. And also shipping wasn't that expensive since i let it be sent via sea instead of air mail (takes a while but less expensive).

A total of i think around 250 USD all inclusive. Not that bad a deal.

[blairswhitaker]

John I couldn't agree mor with you about the effects of chagama and tetsubin on matcha. I am now learning so much about heating with sumi, which arguably makes quite an impact as well.

Fuut, really great score! Did you have it shipped to the USA?

[Fuut]

No no, I'm located in the Netherlands, so that's where it went. It was shipped from Japan. Usually when i have something coming over from the US, i really have to have it valued at or below 20USD, otherwise the costs are normally as high as the item (say one of two guinomi or chawan), in which case i rarely agree with it.

From Japan however, shipping costs with SAL shipping or SEA mail, its really reasonable. Especially since most if not all sellers combine items. Also Japanese folks are really nice to work with. They're generally very quick to respond and are always polite. That's one of the aspects that always interested me.

Edit: not to say i had bad experiences with other sellers!

[Oni]

A tetsubin and a Lin`s ceramic kettle, these are enough for all kinds of tea, each one makes diffrent water, the tetsubin I use for japanese tea, green tea, and roasted oolong, cooked puerh, and the Lin`s I use for green oolong like tgy and taiwanese high mountain, and raw puerh, or anything else.

[the_economist]

Gorgeous chagamas and kettles!

[Fabien]

Maybe heavily decorated...
but very happy with this nice find :
Ryubundo Ueda zo tetsubin

DSC_0019 TC.jpg

DSC_0026 (2) TC.jpg

DSC_0029 TC.jpg