*SHIPPING OPTIONS VARY DEPENDING ON THE DESTINATION, PLEASE SCROLL TO THE END OF THIS LISTING FOR MORE DETAILS.

This listing is for an unassuming Oribe glaze vase made around 40 years ago by Shirai Kazunari.  It is wheel-thrown and the sides were bevelled with a potter’s knife to create a piece with eight equal sides.  The opening is wide enough to accommodate a small bunch of flowers, and the signature of the potter can be found on the bottom.  It comes with its original signed wooden storage box, and it also comes with a Japanese language profile paper about the potter. 

Shirai Kazunari is a Mino-ware and current master of Yowa Gama.  He mainly produces Oribe glazed pieces and he specialises in teaware, tableware and decorative items such as vases.  His work has been selected for the Japan Art and Crafts Exhibition a total of seven times, and he has exhibited at the Japan Tokai Art and Crafts exhibition nine times during his career.  In 1984 he received an award at the 31^st Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition, and the Japan Foundation purchased an inlaid Oribe bowl from the exhibition.  He received an award at the 19^th Tokai Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition for one his Oribe plates, and he exhibited at the Seto Craft Association Exhibition in Nagoya Mitsukoshi Main Store as a part of the Kanae Kiln group of potters.  He has held solo exhibitions at various department stores in Tokai, and he is a member of the Japan Craft Association as well as the Seto Ceramics Association.  Hasebe Mitsuhiko from the National Museum of Modern Art named Shirai’s kiln Yowa Gama, which is in reference to the Yowa era that spanned the years from July 1181 through May 1182 during the Heian Period.  **Fellow sellers, this information was researched by Kominka Zakka and CANNOT be used in your own listings.

Oribe refers to blue or green copper glazes and often includes simple design motifs such as squares, rectangles, and circles. It takes its name from Furuta Oribe, a tea master and pupil of Sen Rikyu. For Japanese potters, it was the first use of colour in the glazing of stoneware, and at the time was said to have a very simple and modernistic look about it. These days Oribe-ware still enjoys much popularity, with plates, bowls, and cups commonly produced in and around the Seto area.

Sizes

Box:  H.12.6cm (4.9”) x 24.5cm (9.6”) x 11cm (4.3”)

Vase:  H.22cm (8.6”) x 8.8cm (3.4”) across x 4.4cm (1.7”) diameter opening

Condition

It’s in very good condition with no chips or cracks, the profile paper however is quite spotty and stained.

THESE ARE SHIPPING ESTIMATES BASED ON THE CURRENT GLOBAL SITUATION                                                                 

**Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia:  NO SHIPPING.  Very strict and expensive packaging laws in place and we are not licensed to send products to these countries.  We have no plan to register at this time because the process is in some cases very expensive and complicated, plus each country has its own set of regulations and application process. 

**USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway: Airmail Small Packet (approx. 15-28 days).  Combined shipping available up to 2kgs for Airmail Small Packet (please send us a message).

**Asia:  Airmail Small Packet (approx. 15-21 days).  Combined shipping available up to 2kgs for Airmail Small Packet (please send us a message).

**Central Asia, Middle East, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico:  EMS Express 10-15 days.

**Russia:  No shipping methods available.