Vase - Porcelain - Japan - Crane Pattern Flower Vase (没有保留价)

Name: Japanese Kutani Ware Spherical Flower Vase with Crackled Gold Leaf & Hand-Painted Silver Cranes, By Kōyō (光陽), With Original Tomobako Box
Ware Workshop: Kutani Yaki (九谷焼 / Kutani Ware, Kōyō Kiln (光陽窑))
Base Mark: Handwritten vermilion kiln signature "Kutani Kōyō (九谷光陽)" on base
Dimensions: H 25 cm (9.84 in) × Max Belly Diameter 24 cm (9.45 in)
Weight: 2521 g
Tomobako Outer Dimensions: H 27.2 cm (10.71 in) × W 26.8 cm (10.55 in) × D 26.8 cm (10.55 in)
Material: High-fired solid white porcelain body, hand-applied crackled gold leaf overlay, hand-painted mineral silver pigment decoration
Period: Late Showa Era, circa 1970–1980
Accessories: Original paulownia wood Tomobako (共箱), soft yellow fabric storage cloth

This elegant flower vase is a high-end decorative vessel from the late Showa period, a representative masterpiece of Kutani Kinrande gold leaf craft.

Kutani ware is a legendary Japanese porcelain tradition, long favoured as imperial display ornaments and state diplomatic gifts. Gold leaf and silver polychrome decoration stand as the signature premium craft of fine Kutani porcelain. The vase is covered in a smooth matte olive-yellow base glaze, adorned with hand-laid crackled-texture pure gold leaf depicting distant mountain landscapes, paired with delicate mineral silver painted red-crowned cranes. The layered gold and silver tones deliver a restrained, gentle opulence that blends classic wabi-sabi subtlety with refined luxury.

The late Showa period marked the golden age of Kutani Kinrande craftsmanship. The Kōyō kiln strictly preserved ancient multi-layer glazing and high-temperature gold leaf fusion firing techniques. Every motif is hand-drawn with fluid, delicate brushwork and balanced, well-composed negative space layout.

Crafted into a full rounded spherical shape with a compact short neck and narrow mouth, the vessel boasts soft, harmonious flowing contours. One side features an expansive scene of crackled gold leaf mountain scenery, decorated with five silver cranes with finely layered plumage, vivid red beaks and slender black legs, all outlined with thin precise gold lines. The opposite side retains plain matte olive-yellow glaze as blank negative space, creating striking visual contrast that embodies traditional East Asian minimalist aesthetics.

The glaze around the rim and foot is evenly toned and uniform, with elegant understated gold and silver embellishments.

The set comes complete with its matching period paulownia wood Tomobako and yellow storage cloth. The signature inscribed on the wooden box lid perfectly matches the handwritten mark on the porcelain base, offering fully traceable original factory provenance.

Faint minor surface wear and natural patina from decades of storage are visible on the glaze. There are no body cracks, glaze chips, peeling or fading of gold leaf and silver paint, and no restorations anywhere on the vase. The matching paulownia box carries light surface dust from long-term storage. Overall condition is good relative to its manufacturing era.

Shipping Notice
Due to service adjustments, Taiwan Post EMS will suspend parcel deliveries to the following countries effective March 10, 2026:
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