Japanese Yatate

This is a signed Japanese brass Yatate from the mid-1800s. A Yatate was a traditional portable writing set. It features a long, slender tube (for writing tools, typically a brush) with an ornately decorated bulbous end for the ink, and often worn on the sash of a robe. The brass on this piece is inset with fine silver threads along the top of the shaft and under the inkwell. There is a dragon on one side and a bird on the other side of the ink container. This Yatate is signed under the shaft. Along the shaft are stylized clouds. Inside is a bamboo brush which is signed.

In traditional Yatates like this one, the ink was held by a small piece of absorbent material, such as a cotton or silk cloth, placed inside the bulbous end. This cloth would be soaked with ink, allowing the user to dip their brush or pen into it without the ink spilling out. This method made it convenient to carry ink while traveling, as it prevented leaks and ensured a steady supply of ink for writing.