The Collection of Useless Spoons

A trained jeweler in Kanazawa, Yuichi Takemata, decided to make his own set of cutlery to match his dishes and bowls after failing to find a commercial set he liked. This project was the catalyst for his in-depth research and obsession with ancient cutlery. In hopes of learning something about the craftsmanship of these medieval-era tools, he began collecting them. After many years, he inherited the cutlery collection of Hayao Tatsuzawa, a crafts scholar whom he admired. This book is a documentation of the combined collection of Takemata and Tatsuzawa, accompanied by artwork, poetry and quotes to match.

The Collection of Useless Spoons. By Yuichi Takemata. Photos by Shizuka Suzuki. Published by Fragile Books, 2025.

Size: About 10"x6". 224 pages.

Language: English & Japanese