Sake-cup rinsing bowls, haisen

Japan, second half of 19th century

Sake cups are filled by one's drinking companions, and so are generously overfilled, and become sticky.   To clean them between rounds, haisen are kept filled with warm water, which not only cleans the cup but warms it to make the sake stay hot longer.   These two are not a pair, but may have been used together, one in use while the other was refilled with warm water:  in any case, they have been traveling and arrived here together.  Of pewter, which can be polished if one wishes, they presently have the patina of time on them. Each is attractively shaped in it's own way, and not dissimilar over all.

left:  height 5 5/8", diameter of rim 5 3/8"

right:  height 5 2/8", diameter of rim 5 3/4"

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