From our recent Japanese acquisitions

Birds and dragonflies

A rare bronze 90 year old lantern find with all hanging bells intact.

This trapezoidal roof shaped hand cast bronze lantern is only one in a handful of examples we have seen in over ten years of handling hundreds of Japanese lanterns. In addition to its unique shape, it is embellished with many unusual accoutrements: birds, dragonflies, mushrooms, garden fence, vines, and comes complete with its rare hanging bell pendants.

Superb garden and collector work of art.

May be either suspended in your favorite indoor or outdoor space, or comfortably set upon a favorite table or garden surface.

A good old example dating to 1930.

Notice the wonderful extended roof timbers on top too- detailing we seldom see.

Dimensions: 10 inches tall to top of loop and 16 inches longest side and 10 inches shorter depth.

Photographed in natural day light and night light for your visual pleasure.

Quality: Crafted from bronze

Good garden candidate, this is an ideal accent size for a small outdoor or indoor zen garden.

Only one.

Provenance: Old Northern Kyoto garden collection.

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

We have been dealing in fine authentic Japanese antiques including 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.

History of Japanese lanterns:
In Japan a toro¯ (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.

Yukimi-do¯ro¯ or legged lanterns have as a base not a post but curved legs and a wide umbrella with a finial. Relatively low, they are used exclusively in gardens and the traditional placement is near water. The umbrella can be round or have from three to eight sides, while the fire box is usually hexagonal. Yu-loosley translated means water reflection. It was probably developed during the Momoyama period, but the oldest extant examples, found at the Katsura Villa in Kyoto, go back only to the early Edo period (17th century).