Originally, part of a 貝具 set; so made from metal.
利休 then started to use all sorts of things, usually around 3.5 l capacity.
取合わせ
If you got a really special
水指, you can use a
長板 to really showcase it.
Or just do 茶筅飾, and bring the
水指 for
拝見 on a white cloth.
Types
All of the following are 名物, according to Burkus:
手桶（ておけ) also a bucket, but more elegant. Shuko used an unfinished one, as did
利休, and Soan used a lacquered one. Handle runs horizontally.
There are different types of
鶴瓶:
利休's was unfinished cypress; there's another one made from pine wood and
淡々斎 liked one covered in bamboo. Handle runs vertically.
Burkus explains that the lid can warp and dust may enter, so
利休 liked to put something on it; a
香合 in the shape of a bird, for example. After 初炭, the host would come in with a
柄杓 to put a new weight on the
鶴瓶, and then take the
香合 with them. In this case,
香合 should be ceramic, as lacquer can not like the moisture. I certainly want to try this for a
茶事. Other things cannot be placed on it, though!
This is an 置水指, so it is theoretically put on the mat at dawn, and then left there until the end of the day.
Miya VII 23 said, you can refill it, just like you do for 割蓋; taking away
蓋置, putting
柄杓 in front horizontally, then filling it up
To decorate, it's similar to 割蓋.
柄杓 goes opening down onto the back end of the handle, and towards the right;
蓋置 on the left lid.
To open: Pull forward slightly from behind with R, then take with both hands, put it on the other side (undramatically). To close same backwards, and push in the final bit with the R thumb.
曲物, seam to the front.
Lids
大蓋: Take with both hands, and just put behind; or take with R, L on the side and R in the front, and put behind.
割蓋: R index tip on right side, lift op left half to 90°, then change fingers (without crossing hands). Sometimes, the lid can be quite wiggly, in this case, L holds in corner formed in the middle.