Item Description Item Description A Bizen ware ikkoiri (single-flower vase) by Bizen ceramicist Kawabata Fumio (born 1948), fired without glaze in the traditional Bizen manner. The rugged, earthy stoneware body carries natural kiln markings, and a sculptural bridge-shaped handle crosses the mouth, giving the vase a distinctive, architectural profile. It is well suited to a single seasonal flower in a tea room or alcove, and equally effective as a standalone object. The vase comes with its original signed wooden box (tomobako), inscribed "Bizen Ikkoiri" and signed Fumio with the artist's seal. It is also accompanied by a yellow cloth (tomonuno) stamped with the same seal as the box, and the box is tied with a fabric ribbon. Dimensions: approx. 21.5 x 8.5 x 8 cm. Weight: approx. 580 g. Condition: Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs are visible in the photographs. Artist Profile: Kawabata Fumio was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, in 1948. He first studied graphic design before turning to the natural character of Bizen ware. In the 1970s he moved to Ibe, the heart of Bizen pottery, and trained at the Kaneshige Ritōen workshop. In 1982 he built his own kiln in Ibe and joined the Japan Kōgei Association. He won the Grand Prize (1990) and an Excellence Award (1994) at the Tanabe Museum of Art's Chanoyu Zokei-ten (Tea Ceremony Sculpture Exhibition). Later honours include the Japan Kōgei Association Prize (2003), the Kaneshige Tōyō Prize (2011) and the Sanyo Shimbun Prize (2022). In 2013 he was designated a holder of an Intangible Cultural Property of Bizen City. NOTICE: The lot will be carefully packaged and sent by Japan Post, DHL or FedEx depending on the situation. It normally takes about 3 weeks to arrive. Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Customs or the delivery company in your country may contact you by phone or email for customs clearance. Please make sure you can be reached. If the parcel is returned to us, reshipping will cost double the original shipping fee. We appreciate your cooperation.