Bronze Japanese Tea Ceremony Mitsuningyo-Style Futaoki Lid Rest / Stand

Used during Japanese tea ceremonies, the three doll ‘futaoki’ (lid rest) is known as ‘mitsuingyo’, one of seven different styles favored by Sen no Rikyu, a 16th century master of tea ceremonies. It was used to rest either the lid of a teapot (kama/kyusu or tatsubin) or the hishaku measuring ladle.
 
Two of the ‘dolls’ are dressed in robes, the other in a jacket meant to be forward facing. 
 
Ours is in excellent condition, with a dark patina. We are not suree if it was purchased in 1969 when our mother visited Japan or in the 1920s when our great grand aunts and grandmother visited Japan. 
 
(We will not tell if you buy it just because you like it as a symbol of friendship or the circle of life.)
 
H 1 7/8” x diameter 2 ¼”
5 oz
 
Note:  The Japanese tea pot shown in photos is available under the ceramics section of this website.
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.