Vase in a large baluster form of porcelain hand painted with designs of swimming carp in red copper oxide and black against a ground washed in pale under glaze blue. Signed on the reverse in under glaze blue by the artist: Makuzu Kozan Sei or Made by Makuzu Kozan (Makuzu Kozan I, or Miyagawa Kozan, 1842 – 1916). With the original carved rosewood stand. Late Meiji era, circa 1900 – 1912.

With the tomobako or original box, inscribed on the exterior of the lid: Kabin or Flower Vase; and on the reverse of the lid: Iro Sometsuke Koi No E or Colored and Blue and White Glazed (Vase) with Carp Painting, and signed: Makuzu Kozan Saku or Made by Makuzu Kozan, and sealed: Makuzu Kozan In or Seal of Makuzu Kozan.

For a smaller vase by Makuzu Kozan I in a similar motif, c.f. The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Japanese Art: Meiji No Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan, Ceramics Part I, Porcelain, number 40. The Khalili vase stands 50.3 cm high compared with the 62 cm of this piece. In addition the Khalili vase is executed entirely in blue and white with touches of black, rather than the difficult red copper oxide glazing we see here.