Date: Fri 11-Sep-1998

Publication: Ant

Author: DONNAM

Quick Words:

Kampai

Full Text:

Kampai

w/1 cut

NORTH SALEM, N.Y. -- The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden will

feature an exhibit entitled "Sake Bottles" in its vitrine display foyer area,

to October 25.

The exhibit's focus is often exquisite containers used to produce, store and

transport sake for centuries. Approximately 30 bottles from the collection of

Bernard P. Stoltie and his wife, Carol A. Forest, of B&C Antiques, Trumbull,

Conn., are displayed, illustrating the diversity of types and the intrinsic

beauty of these functional objects. The B&C Antiques collection of sake

containers was featured in the January/February 1995 issue of Arts of Asia

magazine.

"Kampai" ("cheers") is the refrain declared in Japan before taking a drink of

sake. An alcoholic beverage brewed from fermented rice, sake is to Japan what

champagne is to France and vodka is to Russia -- the traditional national

libation. Sake, pronounced ("sah-kay"), is available and served everywhere in

Japan as an everyday drink as well as in religious offerings at festivals and

in ceremonies such as Shinto-style weddings, where it serves to consecrate the

marriage. It is considered a gift of the gods, and throughout Japan shrines

are dedicated to the sake-making gods.

Among the vessels in the exhibit are tokkuri, or bottles used to serve sake.

Crafted primarily of ceramics, they can also be found in lacquer, wood and

dried gourds. They were created in a myriad of shapes and sizes, including

double gourd, tear drop, barrel and bamboo forms that are on display.

Sake containers have been produced by most major pottery and porcelain centers

in Japan for hundreds of years. Mottled, crackled, with overglaze and

underglaze designs of names, patterns and floral designs, the works testify to

the Japanese standard of excellence in pottery.

The museum is at Deveau Road and is open Wednesday through Saturday, 12-4 pm.

For information, 914/669-5033.