Hand-blown white glass jellyfish by Ishii Koji (石井康治) #97

This beautiful sake vessel is a work by Ishii Koji (石井康治, 1946–1996), a leading Japanese glass artist. Ishii Koji is renowned for fantastical jellyfish-inspired works, using a unique inclusion technique to trap colors and motifs within the glass, expressing a sense of transparency and suspension evocative of the deep sea.

This sake vessel is also believed to be based on the jellyfish motif. Within the transparent interior of the glass, gold leaf and multicolored glass granules are trapped as if melting together, expressing a fantastical shimmer evocative of jellyfish tentacles drifting in water or the light sparkling within its body. The thin white glass lines depict the graceful movements of the jellyfish and the trajectory of life emerging from the darkness of the deep sea, further accentuating the depth and sense of suspension through the reflection of light.

Each piece is a one-of-a-kind handmade work, and the artist's high technical skill and artistry are evident in the shape of the glass, the substantial construction of the base, and the meticulous finish of the white wrap-around applied to the rim. Merging traditional Japanese craft beauty with a modern sensibility, this piece is a masterpiece of high artistic value. The accompanying original wooden box (tomobako) and the shiori leaflet signed by the artist guarantee that this is an authentic work.

• Produced by: Ishii Glass Studio Co., Ltd.
• Artist: Ishii Koji (石井康治)
• Notable Activities: [1979] Work exhibited at Japan New Face II and purchased by Her Imperial Highness Princess Chichibu; [1985] Designed the silhouette bottle for Sanwa Shurui's Iichiko and won a special prize at the Japan Package Design Competition; [1985] Won a special prize at the Seibu Crafts Grand Prize Exhibition; [1994] Held the solo exhibition Symphony of Light and Wind: GLASS Ishii Koji at the Narukawa Museum of Art in Hakone.
• Major Collections: The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo; Aomori Museum of Art; Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art; Toyama Glass Art Museum; Hida Takayama Museum of Art; Narukawa Art Museum (Hakone-Lake Ashi).
  
• Production period: 1980s-1990s
• Condition: Very good (no chips or cracks)
• Accessories: Dedicated wooden box, outer box, wrapping cloth
• Material: hand-blown glass
  
• Dimensions: height approx. 6.8cm, diameter approx. 7.8cm
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