Pair of choshi, Japan 19th century

Japan, pair of choshi, 19th Japan, pair of ch?shi, 19th century
A pair of cast iron hot sake pourers (ch?shi) with lacquered wood lids.
Each of square section tapering to a flat base raised on three small conical foot and cast in low relief with polownia to either side.The polownias flowers, kiri in Japanese, in this stylized form are an imperial emblem. The niellated arcuate handle, connected by a rivet at one end, is attached to a U-shaped bridge at the other end. They have tapering spout and a recessed mouth fitted with a lacquered wood lid designed in gold takamakie, hiramakie, e-nashiji on a red ground with lotus near a meandering stream, black lacquer border, the gilt metal knob fashioned as a small chrysanthemum bud.

These iron kettles were used to heat sake during the cold winter months.
The kettle are in very good condition. There are very small restored losses to the lacquer on the lids.
13,5 x18 x 13,5cm
Japan, 19th century