The delicate design of flying cranes and the elegant shape of this vase are both inspired by Japanese art. The vessel was made at Rookwood Pottery, located in Cincinnati and among the most innovative and influential of American art potteries. Asian ceramics and the Art Nouveau style deeply influenced the designer, Artus Van Briggle.

Van Briggle excelled at hand-painting designs. His skill and talent were recognized by the pottery firm, which sent him to study art in Paris. In Europe, he was exposed to many styles of art and became infatuated with Japanese and Chinese glazes. Van Briggle returned to America in 1896 and resumed his work at Rookwood. This vase, executed the year of his return, beautifully exhibits his new sensibility.