Tetsubins are valuable and precious to whoever buys it, but how do you know what is an authentic tetsubin compared to the factory-made iron kettles you see in department stores?
Well I have 3 tips for you, and as long as you follow these 3 tips, you should be taking an authentic tetsubin home.
1. The tetsubin comes from Japan.
It goes without saying that products are made best from its country of origin. The techniques and materials used in Japan cannot be replicated or replaced in another country. For example, the materials and creation process of a Tetsubin (more details in previous post) in other countries cannot really be compared with the techniques of the Japanese. Look at the iron that is used in the kettles - the Japanese uses an iron that comes from Nambu (南部鐵材), which contains a specialty sand iron material (which is also used in making Samurai swords) that is different from other countries’ iron (eg. Australian iron).
2. The tetsubin is hand-made.
If the mold of a tetsubin is factory made, it tends to be batch made, therefore the product will not be as valuable or authentic as one that is handmade. To check if a tetsubin is factory made, you should check 1. no sign of paint or enamel layering, and 2. not a line going across the tetsubin inside the kettle (Image 1). If a tetsubin has these two features, it is not valuable or worth collecting. There should also be a circle indent at the bottom of a handmade Tetsubin (Image 2). Moreover, if the tetsubin is particularly smooth and looks artificial and almost too perfect, it is probably machine made. Of course this requires a more professional eye, but you can use your own judgement and gain more experience as you look at more tetsubins.
Image 1
Image 2
3. The kettle maker is an artist.
Kettle-making is an art that is passed down through generations. If a tetsubin is created by a master such as Kumagaya Shi Iko (盛久工房15代熊谷志衣子), needless to say, this tetsubin would be a lot more valuable than a factory made kettle.
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