This is a handmade Chinese lacquer tea caddy, a tea container (茶叶罐) finished in black, blue, and gold rhino skin lacquer (Xipi, 犀皮漆) over a wood body, from the Yi Series by HFDlacquerware (禾丰鼎). At 6.5" tall and 3.5" across, with rounded shoulders and a small fitted lid, it keeps loose-leaf tea close at hand on the tea table, and stands on its own as a display piece.

In the Yi Series (low relief), the groundwork is built low, so the colors move together as flow rather than dramatic relief. Layer upon layer of natural raw lacquer (生漆) is applied by hand, then ground back until the pattern surfaces, so no two caddies are alike. It arrives in a gift box.

Flecks of blue and gold scattered across black, like a night sky seen from somewhere far from the city. Good tea deserves a place like that to wait.

Also available: see the Begonia Tea Caddies and the Red & Gold Tea Caddy in the Chong Series.