Overview
The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka has received a donation of a tobi-seiji bottle from the 14th century in the Yuan dynasty of China. This piece, formerly designated a National Treasure in 1935 and became an Important Cultural Property in 1950, had long been missing and was listed in the Missing Nationally Designated Cultural Properties (Arts and Crafts)* administered by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
Thanks to the generous donation, we are actualizing a historic exhibition: the two Tobi-Seiji bottles—the donated piece and the Museum’s National Treasure piece—displayed side by side. They can be viewed during the final period of the current Special Exhibition “CELADON—The Luminous Jade-Green Ware from East Asia,” from Sunday, November 2 to Monday, November 24 (national holiday). Another donated piece, the “Celadon Vase with Fixed Ring Handles” (Yuan dynasty, 14th century), will also be on view during this time.
*List of the Missing Nationally Designated Cultural Properties (Arts and Crafts) (In Japanese)


[Additional Information on the Important Cultural Property Tobi Seiji ]
Background of the Acquisition
-August 2025: The owner offered to donate the tobi-seiji bottle to the Museum.
-The curator of the Museum examined the photographic materials and confirmed this work to be the missing Important Cultural Property. The findings were reported to the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
-September 2025: The work was brought to the Museum. After investigation of the actual work by a senior specialist of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the tobi-seiji bottle was formally confirmed to be the missing Important Cultural Property piece.
-October 22: The Museum formally received the donation.

Provenance
-Formerly owned by Mr. MATSUMOTO Matsuzo (1870–1936, pseudonym Soken'an), a businessman from Osaka.
-In 1933, the work was displayed in the first Soken’an Exhibition (auction viewing) held at the Osaka Art Club.
-The work was later owned by antique art dealer Mr. IKEDO Sosaburo, then came to be in the possession of Mr. YAMAZAKI Kazuyasu (1882–1944), a businessman from Osaka.
-After the work fell into the hands of an individual living in Kyoto, its whereabouts have long been unknown.
-The donated work accompanies a Kokuho Shiteisho (document certifying the designation of the work as a National Treasure), which was written for Mr. YAMAZAKI Kazuyasu.

Cultural Property Designation of the Tobi-Seiji Bottle
-July 25, 1933: Important Art Object
(Law Regarding the Preservation of Important Works of Fine Arts, Act No. 43, enacted and enforced April 1, 1933)
-April 30, 1935: National Treasure
(National Treasures Preservation Law, enacted March 28, 1929)
-1950: Important Cultural Property
(Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, enacted May 30, 1950, enforced August 29, 1950)