Kiseru and Tobacco Pouches: The Smoking Accessories of Edo
Tobacco reached Japan with Portuguese traders in the late sixteenth century and quickly became one of the great pleasures of Edo life. Because kimono had no pockets, smokers carried their equipment hanging from the sash. These smoking sets became a field for display and refinement, and today they are a rewarding part of the wider world of sagemono, hanging objects.
The kiseru
The Japanese pipe, kiseru, is long and slender with a tiny bowl. Finely shredded tobacco was packed into the bowl and smoked in a few puffs, then the ash was tapped out and the bowl refilled.
- Gankubi. The metal bowl and neck.
- Rao. The bamboo stem joining bowl and mouthpiece.
- Suikuchi. The metal mouthpiece.
- Nobe-kiseru. A pipe made entirely of metal, without a bamboo stem.
Pipes range from plain brass to silver and soft-metal alloys chased with dragons, waves or flowers.
The pouch
The tobacco pouch, tabako-ire, was made of leather, woven cloth or kinkarakawa, a gilded and lacquered paper that imitates tooled leather. The flap was fastened by a metal clasp ornament, kanamono, often made by the same soft-metal artists who made sword fittings. A fine clasp can be the most valuable part of a set.
Case, toggle and bead
- Kiseruzutsu. The pipe case, carved from wood, bamboo, horn or lacquer. Some are signed works of art in their own right.
- Netsuke. The carved toggle that held the cord behind the sash.
- Ojime. The bead on the cord that kept the pouch closed.
When the parts were chosen together, colour, material and subject were matched with care. Complete, harmonious sets are particularly prized.
The end of an era
In the Meiji era, Western dress and cigarettes gradually replaced the kiseru. Many sets were put away in drawers, which is why they still appear in Japanese homes and collections, some in surprisingly good condition.
Collecting tips
- Check the leather and cloth for splits, flaking and insect damage.
- Look closely at the clasp. Signed or finely chiselled kanamono add greatly to value.
- Ask whether the parts have always been together or were assembled later.
- Bamboo stems are often replaced. Original stems are a small bonus.
- Many countries restrict trade in certain materials, such as ivory. Check the materials of any toggle or case before buying.