Item Description Title of Artwork: Volcanic White Kairagi — Hagi Ware Flower Vase with Signed Tomobako Box 竹下敬三 Takeita Keizo — Hana-ire (Flower Vase) in Kairagi White Glaze, Hagi Ware This impressive cylindrical flower vase is a striking demonstration of the kairagi (梅花皮, "plum blossom skin") glazing technique — one of the most admired and technically demanding effects in the Japanese ceramic tradition. A richly applied white glaze erupts dramatically across the upper body of the vessel, crawling and contracting during firing to form a bold mosaic of raised, island-like patches separated by deep, dark channels that expose the warm iron-rich stoneware clay beneath. The effect simultaneously evokes cracked earth, coral growth, and ancient bark — at once geological and organic, raw and refined. The glaze gradually transitions downward, softening from the agitated textured surface into a smooth, ethereal white wash with a faint lavender blush, before giving way entirely to the warm sandy-ochre unglazed foot — a beautifully composed gradient that grounds the sculptural intensity above. Two small lug handles at the shoulder and a thick, pronounced collar rim are fully encrusted with the same kairagi glaze, adding to the vessel's architectural character. Viewed from above, the wide circular mouth reveals the crawled texture cascading inward, lending the piece a volcanic, almost primal energy at its core. The vase is accompanied by its original tomobako — a signed paulownia wood box with a brushwork inscription reading "Hagitsuchi Hana-ire" (萩塑 花入) — and a paper shiori (pamphlet). The underside of the vase bears the artist's impressed seal stamp in the raw clay. Kairagi glaze, a hallmark of the legendary Korean-influenced Ido tea bowls revered in Japan since the Muromachi period, is notoriously difficult to achieve consistently; its unpredictable, landscape-like surface is the product of precise glaze chemistry and kiln atmosphere working in concert. Here, the artist has transposed this classical tea ceremony aesthetic onto a bold, vertically composed flower vase — a work where 400 years of Hagi ceramic tradition and bold contemporary expression converge into one exceptional object. Size Total (vase + tomobako box) Weight: 1,480 g Height: 29 cm Width: 15 cm Depth: 15 cm Vase (body only) Weight: 1,025 g Height: 26 cm Width: 12 cm Depth: 12 cm Tomobako box only (calculated) Weight: 455 g Width: 15 cm Depth: 15 cm Condition This vase is in unused, excellent condition with no chips, cracks, or restorations; the kairagi glaze surface is fully intact and the piece is presented with its signed tomobako paulownia wood box and accompanying shiori leaflet. Artist Profile 竹下敬三 Takeita Keizo — Hagi Ware Ceramic Artist Takeita Keizo is a Japanese ceramic artist working within the distinguished tradition of Hagi ware (Hagiyaki), produced in and around Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Hagi ware, originating in the early 17th century under the patronage of the Mōri clan and influenced by Korean ceramic masters, is ranked among Japan's most revered ceramic traditions — historically prized by tea masters with the saying "first Raku, second Hagi, third Karatsu." Takeita has dedicated his practice to the mastery of the kairagi (梅花皮) white glaze technique, employing Hagi's characteristic iron-rich local clay and straw-ash glaze to achieve the dramatically crawled, mosaic-like surface for which his work is recognised. His flower vases, presented in hand-inscribed paulownia wood boxes, exemplify the full ceremonial and aesthetic tradition of Japanese studio ceramics. 【Shipping Notice】 Due to the current situation in the Middle East, shipment from Japan may not be possible to certain regions. If delivery to your country is unavailable at the time of purchase, we reserve the right to cancel the order. We kindly ask buyers in affected regions to refrain from placing bids. 【Important Notice】 The item will be carefully packaged and shipped via Japan Post, DHL, or FedEx. Estimated delivery time is about 1–3 weeks. Import duties, taxes, and other charges are not included. Combined shipping with other items is not available. Thank you for your understanding.