Item Description 酒井田柿右衛門 Sakaida Kakiemon XIV（1934–2013） This elegant gourd-shaped vase (hyōgata hanaire) is a masterwork by Sakaida Kakiemon XIV, one of Japan’s most celebrated porcelain artists and a designated Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhō). Crafted in the renowned Kakiemon overglaze enamel (nishiki) tradition of Arita, Hizen province, the vessel is decorated with a refined kiku-tori-mon (chrysanthemum and bird) design, rendered in the characteristic Kakiemon palette of soft red, green, yellow, and blue enamels against a luminous white porcelain ground. The graceful double-gourd (hyōgata) silhouette — a form with deep roots in East Asian ceramic tradition — lends the piece an air of timeless elegance, making it equally suited as a display vessel or a statement flower vase. The work comes with its original signed wooden box (tomobako), an important marker of authenticity for serious collectors. A rare opportunity to acquire a signed piece by a master whose works are held in major museum collections worldwide, including the British Museum. Condition The piece is in excellent condition with no notable scratches, chips, or soiling; the overglaze enamels remain vivid and intact. Artist Profile Sakaida Kakiemon XIV (26 August 1934 – 15 June 2013) was born in Arita, Saga Prefecture, the heartland of Japanese porcelain production. After graduating from Tama Art University’s Japanese Painting Department in 1958, he trained under his father, Sakaida Kakiemon XIII, and inherited the prestigious Kakiemon name in 1982. He served as the representative of the Important Intangible Cultural Property (Collective Designation) body and received the Japan Ceramics Society Award in 1984. He was designated a Living National Treasure (Ningen Kokuhō) by the Japanese government in 2001 and was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in 2005. His lifelong dedication to reviving and perfecting the nigoshide milky-white porcelain body and the classical Kakiemon overglaze enamel style earned him international renown, with his works held in major institutions including the British Museum and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. ∙ Artist: 酒井田柿右衛門 Sakaida Kakiemon XIV（1934–2013） ∙ Title of Artwork: Rare Gourd-Shaped Vase with Chrysanthemum & Bird Design by Living National Treasure Kakiemon XIV ∙ Style / Movement: Kakiemon ware / Arita ware / Japanese overglaze enamel porcelain ∙ Materials: Porcelain with overglaze polychrome enamels (nishiki-de) ∙ Condition: Excellent – no chips, cracks or significant wear ∙ Provenance / Authenticity: Comes with original signed wooden box (tomobako) ∙ Country of origin: Japan