Beautiful-textured, minimal interior iron accessories

These interior iron accessories are the result of a collaboration between Metaphys, a brand formed by experimental design firm HERS Co., Ltd., and TOTT, an affiliated brand of Tottori Prefecture. The pieces can suit any atmosphere, featuring minimal geometric shapes and a cast iron texture.Production takes place at Matsudayasu Ironworks, a metal processor in the city of Tottori.

Boasting over 120 years of history, the company was founded in 1897. They utilize an integrated production line that includes everything from casting to machine processing. They provide one-stop service for production. This configuration is quite rare since casting and machining work are generally separated. “We are the only one in eastern Tottori,” reminisces senior managing director Akiko Fukushima. “After taking part in the Tottori Prefecture Strategy for Production and Employment Creation in 2015, we were asked to be a part of a project to attempt to make our own in-house product.” Up to now, the company had only handled industrial products, and developing a product with a designer was difficult.

“After taking a cast of the piece using sand, it is then rotated in a machine called a shot blast in order to remove the sand particles. So if the design is too detailed, it will break and chip. In order to learn about the actual process and find common ground regarding the design, we tried making wooden molds over and over through a process of trial and error. Once we settled on a shape, the next step was painting. Reproducing an ideal matte black color was hard work. All of them are simple but none of them are smooth. It was that element that resulted in a satisfactory finish,” says Fukushima.

The degree of perfection was realized only through trial and error. Not only are the products well-designed, but they have a high degree of functionality once you actually try them out. For example, the incense holder and incense hole are carved to a size that can catch the falling ash. And the tea incense burner is designed so that the heat will not reach the bottom when you hold it.