Antique Japanese bronze Yatate Portable inkwell collection

Antique Japanese bronze Yatate Portable inkwell collection. One shaped like an antique gun, longest 7.5 Japanese Antique Yatate The Japanese yatate is defined as a relatively small, portable, case used to hold a Japanese writing brush (fude) and ink (sumi).

In old Japan, yatate were stashed in the obi (kimono belt) so that when one needed to jot down a quick note or letter, they could pull the yatate from their belt, remove the brush from the yatate handle, perhaps add a drop or two of water to the ink basin and start writing.