Renowned Japanese studio nendo has created these fine porcelain containers for historic Parisian company Sèvres. Porcelain crafted by the highly-skilled artisans of Sèvres has very little distortion and it is said that the thinnest, most uniform pieces produce the clearest, most beautiful ringing sound. Because of this, the artisans check the quality of their pieces by lightly flicking the porcelain’s surface. As an expression of this sign of masterful craftsmanship, the design of the modestly-sized small item containers incorporates a lid that rings like a bell (=suzu).
A delicate, crystal clear ringing can be heard each time the lid is removed to access the accessories or snacks stored within. The colouring of the containers features a dark blue pigment made with cobalt oxide with the addition of some white and a touch of gold. This dark blue – known as Bleu de Roi, or royal blue – is a characteristic colour of the Sèvres manufactury and was developed by the French royal porcelain manufactury during the 18th century.
The small item containers are available in a total of 5 different size and height combinations that each produces its own unique tone, allowing one to enjoy the beauty of Sèvres porcelain via both sight and sound.
all images © Akihiro Yoshida