Japanese Tokoname Bottle Vase Vintage Oriental Sueyaki Vases Unglazed Dragon in the Clouds Bizen Pottery Terra store Cotta Vases Red Ware Vase

This vintage, unglazed Tokoname bottle vase is named after store an area in central Japan where a rich red local clay was used to produce pottery in one of the six ancient kilns of Japan. This piece is signed, but I was unable to decipher the signature in order to exact a date. However, the clay on this particular vase is a deep dark red which would suggest that it is an older piece. It stands 9-1/2 inches tall, 5 inches to the shoulder, about 4 inches at the widest diameter, has a 3/4 inch opening, and weighs about 18 ounces. It is decorated with the familiar three toed dragon in the clouds motif, with faded black ink and gold highlights, stippled clouds, and a geometric pattern around the rim. The only condition issues are two very small nicks: one on just the interior of the lip, and the other on the outer edge of the lip(please zoom in on photos 9 and 10 for a closer look), otherwise it is in very good vintage condition-a small vase that can stand alone, or be displayed in a grouping of vases, oriental pottery, or added to a Tokoname pottery collection.