Japanese
Tea Cup Stand,
Engraved and gilded brass, 8.9 x 15.2 cm (3 1/2 x 6 in.)
This Japanese tea cup stand is made of gilded brass, now somewhat tarnished. The stand is in one piece but has three distinct parts: a trumpet-shaped base with a circular saucer atop, and a small bowl atop the saucer. The bowl is open at the top and has a hole at its bottom that corresponds to a hole in the saucer that opens to the hollow base. The bowl holds the cup for the tea drinker. The bowl is engraved with three daisy-like flowers evenly spaced around the bowl. The remainder of the bowl, the saucer, and the base are engraved with a filigree foliage design. The engraving on the saucer shows through on the underside as a low relief design.
Short Gallery
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.