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Materials
In China, they used to be made of gold, silver or bamboo
The first
茶杓 were imported from China, and made of ivory. The Japanese copied these in bamboo, leading to the first
節無-style.
In Japan, they are made from ivory, too, water buffalo horn, tortoise shell; and of course, bamboo
There are also pieces made from plain wood (cherry, apricot; but also pine, plum), and lacquered ones
Shape
They are usually 18 cm long (= 12.5
畳 weaves); but, for example,
利休's student
勢田掃部 had a famous, large
茶碗, so the
茶杓 利休 made for it was 14.5 weaves long (CQ21)
When
利休 carved
茶杓, he always wanted to have the
茶入 or the
茶碗 it was to be used with to be next to him (
Nampō Roku 7-17). Burkus thus argues that a
茶杓 is specific to a
茶入 (or in rare cases, the
茶碗).
Ranking
武野紹鴎 is said to have invented the
止節-shape; and
利休 then the
中節
| Rank | Bamboo | Other materials | use |
| 真 | 節無 | ivory | 盆点 and above |
| 行 | 止節 | | 唐物 |
| 草 | 中節 | other woods, even if 節無 | |
Practical
-
It's the only
道具 that officially a host can make and use themselves. Cadwallader suggests to only use a
茶杓 you carved for
薄茶.
名物
泪 is said to have been carved when
利休 was waiting for the official who was supposed to witness his suicide (CQ21). It was sent to
織部, who treasured it greatly (CQ21).
勢多 is the
茶杓 mentioned above, made for the
水海 茶碗.