"Y" Stoneware Sake Bottle

Unusual Japanese sake bottle (tokkuri) from around the turn of the 20th century (Meiji Period). Hand-thrown stoneware, hand-painted with stylized calligraphic kanji— plus the Roman letter “Y”. Why? We certainly don’t know. Sake shop owners would give a tokkuri to their customers when they bought sake. The name of the shop and its trademark were written on the vessel, to remind the customers where to re-fill it! The design is ergonomic for carrying, thus the name kayoi tokkuri (commuter tokkuri).

5.5” x 10”