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Nanbu Tekki cast iron bird bell in yamadori form, Iwate Prefecture Shōwa period 1970
This is a bell that reads as a bird before you notice it is a bell. The long neck rises from a barrel-shaped body in one unhurried arc, ending in a small rounded head with the faintest suggestion of an eye. The surface is rough, almost granular: the deep charcoal black of seasoned Nambu cast iron. It sits very still on a table and looks as if it has always been exactly there.
The form represents the yamadori, the copper pheasant that is the official bird of Iwate Prefecture, where Nambu Tekki has been made since the seventeenth century. Nanbu cast iron is one of Japan's designated national traditional crafts, known for its distinctive rough texture, its resonance, and a durability measured in centuries rather than years. This bell is a small, very quiet piece of that tradition.
This is a bell that reads as a bird before you notice it is a bell. The long neck rises from a barrel-shaped body in one unhurried arc, ending in a small rounded head with the faintest suggestion of an eye. The surface is rough, almost granular: the deep charcoal black of seasoned Nambu cast iron. It sits very still on a table and looks as if it has always been exactly there.
The form represents the yamadori, the copper pheasant that is the official bird of Iwate Prefecture, where Nambu Tekki has been made since the seventeenth century. Nanbu cast iron is one of Japan's designated national traditional crafts, known for its distinctive rough texture, its resonance, and a durability measured in centuries rather than years. This bell is a small, very quiet piece of that tradition.
What makes this bell special
The look and feel up close
The surface of the iron has the rough, almost geological texture of sand-cast metal: covered in tiny peaks and valleys that shift between deep charcoal and a faint blue-grey depending on the light.
The body is heavier than it looks. Hold it and you feel the density of iron. When the clapper moves and strikes the inside wall, the tone is clear and clean, with a warm resonance that carries longer than you would expect from something this compact. It does not clang. It rings.
Charming details
The yamadori, the mountain pheasant whose form this bell takes, is the subject of one of the most celebrated poems in Japanese literature. Poem three of the Hyakunin Isshu, written by court poet Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, describes the long trailing tail of the mountain bird and a night spent alone on the mountain. The poem has been recited, illustrated and played as a card game for over a thousand years. The craftsmen of Iwate who shaped this bird in iron were working in a region where that association runs deep.
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This bell is made by Nambu Tekki.
Made from solid cast iron with a sand-textured surface.
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Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Morioka City or Mizusawa (Oshu City) area, both centres of Nambu Tekki production.
Ca. 1970, Shōwa period. Sand-cast Nambu Tekki iron (南部鉄器).
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Height: ca. 11.5 cm
Base diameter: ca. 4.5 cm
Weight: approx. 242 gr
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Excellent vintage condition.
Surface shows natural patina consistent with age.
No cracks, chips, or repairs.
Clapper intact and in working order.
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Nambu cast iron should not be left in damp environments, as moisture will cause surface rust to develop over time.
Dust with a soft dry cloth and keep dry.
Do not use water or cleaning products on the surface.
If light rust appears, remove it gently with a dry cloth and apply a very light coat of camellia oil to protect the iron.
Avoid storing in direct contact with stone or tile without a dry layer underneath.
*Decorative items such as the whisk and plank are for styling
and scale purposes only and not included in the sale
All Nanbu Tekki cast iron items
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