Item Description This is a hand-thrown ceramic vase in the Ao-Mishima (blue Mishima) style, created by Okamoto Kazuro Ikeda... Let me restate: This is a hand-thrown stoneware vase in the Ao-Mishima (blue Mishima) style, created by Okamoto Kazuro (岡本和郎 Okamoto Kazuro, 1930-2000), a Kyoto-based ceramicist. The body is covered in a soft powder-blue glaze over an all-over inlaid floral (hanazume) pattern, characteristic of the Mishima slip-inlay technique. Fine horizontal throwing lines encircle the shoulder and lower body, and the unglazed foot reveals the warm reddish-brown clay body, with the artist's carved mark visible on the base. The vase measures approximately 12 cm in width and 25 cm in height. The piece is in good, well-kept condition with no notable chips, cracks, or repairs observed. It is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box (tomobako), inscribed with the title "Ao-Mishima Kabin" (青三島花瓶) and the artist's signature and seal, along with a printed biographical sheet listing Okamoto's exhibition history. Artist Profile Okamoto Kazuro (岡本和郎 Okamoto Kazuro, 1930-2000) was a Kyoto-based Japanese ceramicist. He was an associate member (kai'yū) of the Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition) and a former member of the Nihon Shin Kōgei-ka Renmei (Japan New Craft Artists' Federation). He trained under the celebrated Kyoto ceramicist Kusube Yaichi (1897-1984), known for his distinctive saien technique of layered coloured glazes. According to the printed biography accompanying this piece, Okamoto studied sculpture at the Kyoto City University of Arts, worked under masters Yano Hanzan and Kusube, and was repeatedly selected for the Nitten, Kyoto Prefectural Art Exhibition, Kyoto City Exhibition, and Japan Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition, among others, receiving several municipal awards over his career. Size Height: 25 cm Width: 12 cm Condition The vase is in good, well-preserved condition with no notable chips, cracks, or repairs observed on close visual inspection. It is offered together with its original signed wooden box. Additional Information Origin: Japan (Kyoto) Technique: Mishima slip-inlay with blue glaze (Ao-Mishima) Accompanying items: Original signed wooden storage box (tomobako); printed sheet listing the artist's biography and exhibition record Shipping: Carefully packed and shipped via DHL , Fedex or EMS with tracking and insurance. Customs & VAT: Please note that Value Added Tax (VAT), import duties, and customs fees are the buyer's responsibility and may be collected by your local customs office upon delivery. Please note that as of 1 July 2026, the EU has abolished the de minimis customs exemption. All shipments to EU countries are now subject to import duties and VAT regardless of the declared value of the goods. For shipments with a declared value under €150, an additional customs processing fee of €3 may also apply.