This "Annosuke" ant-shaped tea pet is cast as a single piece using the lost-wax method. It faithfully reproduces the ant's anatomical structure, capturing every detail of its six legs and antennae with exquisite precision; the articulated joints allow for adjustable posing. The artisan's mark is inscribed on the underside of the abdomen. "Annosuke" is the hereditary title held by the masters of Ryūbundō, a renowned metal-casting lineage from Kyoto. Since the Edo period, Ryūbundō has stood as a premier Japanese metal-casting workshop. Each successive Annosuke has been a master craftsman of the highest caliber, deeply dedicated to the art of lost-wax casting and celebrated for creating tea ceremony implements and small-scale metal sculptures.