Incense case in the shape of a sitting crane, Kouchi ware

Kouchi ware is a soft ceramic from southern China in Yuan-Ming Dynasties. An incense case of Kouchi ware is particularly regarded as a prized utensil in the tea ceremony.
This incense case also has been handed down as a valuable piece in the Tachibana family. It is covered with green glaze over the soft surface and added with vermilion ink on the forehead. The base clay is exposed from the places where the glaze on concave parts split open and this creates quaint appearance.