A spectacular vessel undoubtedly made as a gift to visiting Daimyo emblazoned with a lightning heraldic crest and young pines from the private Fushina Kilns belonging to the lords of Shimane prefecture.The bottle is perfectly formed, covered in a stately earthen color with perfect ivory key-fret designs about the neck and the family crest on both sides alternating with pine saplings in black. This is truly a masterpiece from the kilns of a medieval warlord.It is 15 cm (6 inches) diameter, 22 cm (9 inches) tall and in perfect condition.
Fushina (also Fujina sometimes simply called Izumo-yaki) was the Goyogama clan kiln of the Matsudaira of Matsue in modern day Izumo. The origin of Fushina lies in the early Edo period, when the second generation Matsudaira Tsunataka requested a Hagi ware potter from the neighboring Mori clan, which was eventually granted to the third generation Izumo leader Matsudaira Tsunachika around 1677. The founders of the kiln were Kurasaki Gonbei and Kada Hanroku. Although under continuous production, the kiln had its ups and downs until it was strongly revived by the 8th Lord of Matsue, Matsudaira Harusato (Fumaiko 1751-1818) Daimyo of the province. From then it fell strongly under his aesthetic taste. Flagging in the late 19th century, artists such as the great scholar and Nanga artist Tanomura Chokunyu sought to revitalize it, and came to Shimane to decorate the works or to teach decoration and painting techniques. It became an important influence on the Mingei movement and was visited by Bernard Leach, Hamada Shoji and Kawai Kanjiro in the early 20th century.
