Item Description Tsukahara Kōmon 塚原康門 Tsukahara Yasukado — Ryūmon-nuri (Flowing-Pattern Lacquer) Vase on Ceramic Body — Aizu Lacquerware — Shōwa Period , Unused A stunning and rare vase in the celebrated Ryūmon-nuri (流紋塗, "flowing-pattern lacquer") technique, by Tsukahara Yasukado (塚原康門) of Aizu-Wakamatsu — the master craftsman who, after two years of devoted research, successfully revived this lost classical technique in 1955 (Shōwa 30) after it had been missing from Japanese craft for approximately fifty years. The piece is unused Shōwa-period dead stock in mint condition, accompanied by its original printed presentation box and the maker's printed history pamphlet ("Aizu Shikki to Ryūmon-nuri no Yurai" The Origins of Aizu Lacquerware and Ryūmon-nuri). The vase takes a classically elegant ovoid form with a softly flared neck and lipped rim, opening to a deep glossy black interior — a silhouette inspired by traditional Chinese and Japanese baluster vases and ideally suited for the display of seasonal flowers and branches. The body is built on a ceramic core (a feature of Aizu Ryūmon-nuri production, which the maker's own history confirms uses ceramic, metal, or synthetic-resin substrates depending on the piece) — giving the vase a satisfying heft and stability that distinguishes it from purely wooden lacquerware. What stops the eye, of course, is the surface. The entire exterior is decorated in Ryūmon-nuri, a technique that traces its origin to the nagashi-zome ("flowing-dye") tradition of Heian-period Japan, in which contrasting colours of liquid pigment were floated on water and then transferred to a substrate, producing organic, marbled patterns no two of which could ever be the same. In Tsukahara's lacquer version, multiple coloured urushi lacquers — here in deep amber-gold, rich vermilion-orange, mossy green, aubergine purple, and jet black — are applied in successive layers and then carefully manipulated to produce mesmerising flowing currents, swirling eddies, and zig-zagging wave-like passages that travel from rim to foot. The colours pool and intertwine like geological strata, like flame, like wood grain seen through water — drawing the eye into endlessly varied micro-landscapes across the surface. A final clear top-coat of urushi seals and protects the design, producing a luminous, glass-smooth, mirror-bright finish that intensifies the depth and richness of every colour beneath. The interior of the vase and the base are finished in classic deep glossy black urushi. The underside bears the maker's incised signature "Aizu Yasukado-saku" (会津康門作 / "Made by Aizu Yasukado") — the authentic mark that, as stated in the accompanying maker's pamphlet, is incised on every genuine Ryūmon-nuri piece by the workshop, distinguishing them from imitations. History of Ryūmon-nuri — from the included maker's pamphlet: Aizu lacquerware (Aizu-shikki 会津漆器) is one of the great regional lacquer traditions of Japan, established in 1590 when the daimyō Gamō Ujisato relocated dozens of lacquer artisans and woodturners from his ancestral domain in Ōmi Province (present-day Shiga) to the Aizu region. Successive lords — the Hoshina and the Matsudaira from the early Edo period onward — actively promoted lacquer-tree cultivation and the lacquer industry, and Aizu's reputation rose from the Edo period through Meiji, Taishō, and Shōwa to become one of the foremost lacquer centres in Japan, exporting widely. The Ryūmon-nuri technique itself, deriving from Heian-period nagashi-zome, had been considered a lost art for around half a century, with no living practitioner able to transmit the secret method. In 1955 (Shōwa 30), after two years of dedicated experimentation, Tsukahara Yasukado finally succeeded in reconstructing the authentic technique, and his Aizu-Wakamatsu workshop has been the home of true Ryūmon-nuri ever since. A breathtakingly beautiful piece of mid-Shōwa Japanese lacquer art, in pristine unused condition with its original presentation and documentation — a serious collector's piece for admirers of urushi, Aizu craft, and Japanese folk-art revival traditions. Size Height: 20 cm Body diameter: 9.1 cm Outer mouth diameter: 5.7 cm Weight 514 g Condition Mint, unused dead stock condition. No chips, scratches, abrasions, or loss to the lacquer surface. The high-gloss top coat is intact and luminous throughout. Accompanied by the original printed presentation box (paper-covered, with stylised marbled-paper decoration) and the maker's original printed history pamphlet Aizu Shikki to Ryūmon-nuri no Yurai (会津漆器と流紋ぬりの由来). The box and pamphlet show light age-toning and minor handling marks consistent with careful storage since the Shōwa period. Artist Profile Tsukahara Yasukado (塚原康門) is a master lacquer artisan of Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture, and the modern reviver of the Ryūmon-nuri (流紋塗) technique. In 1955 (Shōwa 30), after two years of intensive experimentation, Tsukahara succeeded in reconstructing this classical "flowing-pattern" lacquer technique, which had its origins in the nagashi-zome (流し染め, "flowing-dye") tradition of the Heian period (794–1185) but had been considered a lost art for approximately fifty years prior to his work. His Aizu-Wakamatsu workshop — the Ryūmon-nuri, Goshiki-nuri, Kanshitsu-nuri Honpo (流紋塗・五色塗・乾漆塗 本舗, "Headquarters for Flowing-Pattern, Five-Colour, and Dry-Lacquer Lacquerware") — at 1-6 Kami-machi, Aizu-Wakamatsu, became and remains the source of authentic Ryūmon-nuri, marked by the incised signature "Aizu Yasukado-saku" (会津康門作) on every piece. Aizu lacquerware itself is one of Japan's most distinguished regional craft traditions, founded in 1590 when the daimyō Gamō Ujisato brought lacquer masters and woodturners from Ōmi Province to the Aizu domain. Continuously developed and promoted by the Hoshina and Matsudaira lords through the Edo period, Aizu lacquer became one of the most important lacquer centres in Japan, with a strong export trade by the Meiji period. Today Aizu-shikki is designated a traditional craft of Japan. NOTICE: The photos may show flowers, plants, pedestals, etc. as examples of decorations and interior design for illustrative purposes, but please note that these are not included in the product. The lot will be carefully packaged and sent by DHL, FedEx or Japan Post depending on the situation. It takes about 10 days to receive normally. Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Sometimes Customs or the delivery company in your country may contact you for Customs clearance via phone or email. Please make sure that you can answer the phone. If you don't, the parcel will be returned to us and it costs more than double the shipping fee for reshipping. We do appreciate your kind cooperation.