Beautiful Japanese Arita Vase, Flying Herons

Shumei Fujii (1936 to present) is a famous Arita ceramic artist with a remarkable record. He won numerous awards and prizes at art exhibitions over the years. He is a 15 times award recipient at the prestigious Nitten show (the annual Art Academy Award of Japan).

The vase comes in the original box with the signature of the artist and his seal on the lid. Included in the box are: a pamphlet of the Shumei kiln with a long list of his achievements and a hand written letter by the artist with a seal. The letter describes the devoted life of the Fujii family as ceramists since the Edo period. "through good times and bad times, some as a decorator and others as log burners..." The letter ends with his wish to keep burning the fire in his own heart and continue making ceramics to the end (if it is granted), just as he and the generations of the Fujii family have kept their logs burning at the kiln. The letter is signed with a seal.

Vase: 9 1/2"H x 10" in diameter (24.2cm x 25.5). Kiri wood box: 11 1/4" x 11 1/4" x 11 1/4".