From our recent acquisitions- an old vintage example

Japan, this handsome quality iron Halloween Jack-O-Lantern with its two charming faces still retains its original black, green, and orange paint plus includes its original sturdy suspension top metal loop and bottom twist off access cap – just the way we like to find them.

In a convenient portable size, it may be suspended from its sturdy loop on top or installed on any surface.

Dimensions: 10 inches tall to top of loop handle and 5 inches wide.

A good happy garden candidate, this is an ideal accent size for a small outdoor or indoor Tea garden or might be a good accompaniment during the holidays. Great gift idea.

Includes original sturdy suspension metal loop on top that gives you optional placement alternatives.

Provenance: Old American garden.

Many of our customers place oil candles or tea lights inside the main section making a romantic and enjoyable decorative accent for entertaining friends and family. It’s a perfect choice for your indoor or outdoor garden space.

Lifetime guarantee of authenticity. We are members of NAJGA- North American Japanese Garden Association.

Our gallery based in Newport, Rhode Island USA has been dealing in authentic Pre-Columbian, Japanese and fine Asian art, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for 25 years. Our president personally travels across America as well as Japan and Europe each year to meet his network partners who assist him in finding best examples. He personally inspects each antique work of art to ensure its old age, authenticity and quality condition.

History of America’s Jack-o’-Lantern
Early Irish immigrants brought tradition of making jack-o’-lanterns at Halloween. Jack from Irish folklore was a blacksmith who tricked the devil .but when he died, he was denied into both heaven and hell. After the devil turned him away, he gave Jack a burning ember and Jack hollowed out a turnip to carry the ember light. Irish remembered this story by carving scary faces on turnips and inserting a burning piece of coal inside. When the Irish immigrated to America they found that pumpkins were more available and made better jack-o’-lanterns than turnips! Eventually candles replaced burning coals. Today you might use LED lights, oil or tea candles.

History of Japanese lanterns:

In Japan a to¯ro¯ (lantern) is a traditional lantern made of stone, wood, or metal. Like many other elements of Japanese traditional architecture, it originated in China. In Japan, to¯ro¯ were originally used only in Buddhist temples, where they lined and illuminated paths and lighted lanterns were then considered an offering. In its complete, original form the lantern represents five elements of Buddhist cosmology: Bottom touching the ground, represents chi, the earth, the next section represents sui, or water, ka or fire, is represented by the section encasing the lantern’s light or flame, while fu¯ (air) and ku¯ (void or spirit) are represented by the last two sections, top-most and pointing towards the sky. These last two sections express the IDEA that after death our physical bodies will go back to their original, elemental form.