VTG OKURA Toen Vase -Rare Design: Blue Flowers & Butterflies, Gold Trim

Gorgeous and rare vintage blue and white hand-painted Okura porcelain vase in fantastic condition with no chips/cracks or other flaws. Acquired at a luxury home estate sale. Dimensions: 12” H x 7” W The cobalt blue design features a wide variety of blooming flowers (daffodils, thistle, wildflowers) in a field with flitting butterflies, painted in a dreamy yet exquisitely detailed watercolor-like style. (OKURA porcelain is fired at a high temperature, THEN painted, and then fired again. This unique process causes the paint to sink deep into the underlying glaze, resulting in soft tones of blue and the depth of color and detail you see in this vase.) An elegant gold trim rings the top rim and a pair of gold rings circle the lower part of the vase. OKURA’s mark - a gold stylized “OAC” (OKURA Art Company) - is on the bottom. I’ve done quite extensive research and have not been able to identify a single other OKURA pieces featuring this particular flower/field/butterfly pattern. This vase may be an offshoot of Okura’s popular “China Blue Rose” collection, which was introduced in 1928 and is still being produced (and is well represented in online resale sites). Or, it may have come before. OKURA is considered the finest quality china available in Japan. A longtime favorite of the Japanese Imperial Household, it also features prominently at government banquets with visiting heads of state and other dignitaries.