Japanese Old & Unusual Hippopotamus Hand-Carved Wooden Gem, Ainu People
$395.00
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From our Japanese Acquisitions Travels
An elusive Wooden Carving
Japanese seldom found fine old handmade and hand-carved wooden carving of a hippopotamus, crafted in cryptomeria (cedar) wood .
Quality: Hand-carved with rich and deep realistic hair lines (photo). Fine and original patina from good age
It has been crafted in the Japanese old school craftsmen style- the Ittobori style (carved from one wooden piece) by the Ainu Peoples, Hokkaido region in northern Japan.
Fine original quality. Only one.
Dimensions: 4 inches tall and 7.25 inches wide and 3.5 inches depth
Handmade and hand-carved, one of a kind.
History of the wood carvings of Ainu peoples:
The Ainu minority people located in Hokkaido created a wood carving culture and export business going back to the early 20th century. Many Ainu carved wooden statues in particular bears known as Higuma to sell as souvenirs. Other animals notably hippos are rarely encountered. Until then, these carvings had only existed as religious objects, usually as headdresses and prayer sticks. History tells us that during the early 20th century, a former bear hunter by the name of Umetaro Matsui (1901-1949) started carving bears in the town of Asahikawa after surviving an unfortunate run in with a bear.
Provenance: Old Kyoto Japan collection.
We have been dealing in Fine authentic Japanese antiques including wood carvings, screens, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for many years. Our president personally travels to Japan each year to meet his network partners who assist him in finding best examples. He personally inspects each antique to ensure its old age, authenticity, and quality condition. After accumulating a group, they are imported to Vermont in large containers. This method keeps shipping costs low and coupled with our modest gallery overhead enables us to offer works of art to you at reasonable prices. We carefully pack and ship to clients all-over the USA and at reasonable shipping costs.
Lifetime guarantee of authenticity: All of our Asian works of art come with our Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee.
We have been dealing in authentic Japanese,Chinese, European, and Asian Fine art, antiquities, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for 25 years. Our president personally travels to Japan, Europe and China 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. After accumulating a group, they are imported to Vermont in large containers. This method keeps shipping costs low and enables us to offer them to you at reasonable prices. We ship internationally.
Item Details
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