Unusual Japanese Porcelain Beckoning Cat Sculpture

Charming beckoning cat with left paw raised is a gilded and hand painted porcelain piece from the Kutani region of Japan. Beckoning cats come in two varieties. The more common right-handed beckoning cat (with right paw raised) is said to bring money and wealth to its owner, and are to this day frequently seen in shops and restaurants in Japan. The less common left-handed cat is said to be inviting friends and acquaintances to hearth and home. While the origins of the Japanese beckoning cat (known as maneki neko in Japanese) are unclear, contemporary woodblock...

Charming beckoning cat with left paw raised is a gilded and hand painted porcelain piece from the Kutani region of Japan. The beckoning cat comes in two varieties. The more common right-handed beckoning cat (with right paw raised) is said to bring money and wealth to its owner, and are to this day frequently seen in shops and restaurants in Japan. The less common left-handed cat is said to be inviting friends and acquaintances to hearth and home. While the origins of the Japanese beckoning cat (known as maneki neko (in Japanese) are unclear, contemporary woodblock...

Discovered and collected in America's southwest comes this fascinating collection of seven (7) naturally formed sandstone concretions in the likenesses of animals. Natural earth c...

Rare and important Japanese sculpture / statue / okimono in blackened and carved wood, depicting 1 lion, 2 birds (crows or other birds of prey) and 1 snake held in the claws of one o...

Early Japanese Hinoki wood sculpture of Bishamon. Kamakura period (1185 - 1333) sculpture made from hinoki wood. Bishamon is also known as Tamonten, meanin...

Entitled "Rhythm", this abstract sculpture was made by Japanese bamboo artist Honda Syoryu (Japanese, born 1951) in 2005. The free vertical form defies the limit of the traditional material bamboo as a rigid medium, and instead displays a nearly impossibly fluidity. Rooted in ages of tradition of Japanese basket weaving, the artist managed to break that ikebana tradition using bending and twisting techniques to create a pure sculptural work. The work is a testament of how traditional craft can be reinvented into modern art form. Signed with carved signature "Syoryu" underneath. The sculpture is displayed on a custom-made stand and can be appreciated from all angles. It comes with its original box and cloth, with label and Japanese inscription as shown. Provenance: Purchased in 2005 from Tai Modern...

A contemporary Japanese bamboo sculpture entitled Light at Dawn (Gyoko) made in 2004 by Kawano Shoko (B. 1957). This airy piece is unconventi...

A large and impressive woven bamboo sculpture by Japanese bamboo artist Yamaguchi Ryuun (born 1940-) entitled "Black Wave". The piece was made in 2000 and originally purchased from Tai Modern...

Well done, very sharp detailed cast bronze figure with inlay of silver metal on scroll, 1920s- 1930s. Beautiful golden patina on head and bottom from years of handling. 8.3 lbs.   

A contemporary hand-woven bamboo sculpture in an organic form by Japanese bamboo artist Mimura Chikuho (1973-). Named "Cloud on the Peak", the piece was made as one of his series in 2004. Entirely hand-woven in irregular plaiting, the artist challenged the traditional bamboo basket making and elevated it into modern abstract sculpture. The minimalist donut form resembles the hat-shaped cloud formed around the peak of the mountain (often seen on Fujisan in Japanese art). It displays a wonderful subtle undulation and irregularity in its organic shape, achieved by a mastery of the traditional technique. The irregular plaiting appears chaotic in its busy crossing patterns yet as a whole, the piece strangely quiet and introverted, demanding contemplation from the viewer. Signed "Chikuho" underneath in Kanji. The piece comes with its original storage paper box and a silk bag. Provenance: Purchased from Tai Gallery/Textile Arts now (Tai Modern) in Santa Fe. Mimura Chikuho was born in 1973 in Tokyo. He studied under Yufu Shohaku...