Japan, a fine large vintage hand cast bronze -Pagoda- top lantern with exquisite details from the early Showa period, 1930s-1940s.

This one may be set upon any surface having feet or suspended from the original chain included.

The striking and well proportioned old bronze is fashioned from solid bronze as roof kasa and light chamber or base Hibukuro or kiso all with considerable weatherization and patina from good age. An original chain is included.

Dimensions: Lantern only 18 inches tall and 9 inches diameter

Provenance: Old Northern Kyoto Garden

Hand cast. Hard to find this quality today for the discerning garden or sculpture collection

Lifetime guarantee of authenticity: All of our Asian works of art come with our Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee.
Our gallery based in Shelburne, Vermont USA has been dealing in authentic Japanese , Chinese, and fine Asian art, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for 25 years. The president personally travels to China, 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.

About Japanese lanterns
Japan’s lantern tradition is a concept that was imported from India and has existed in Japanese temples and gardens since the 7th century.

Japan’s lantern tradition was originally conceived as entrance lighting and guardians to temples and pagodas and when lit served as an offering to Buddha. Some of the earliest stone lanterns were carved with Buddhist images on the firebox and usually had compartments for an oil lamp or candle. Later on, they became more secular in nature, and their use evolved as functional and decorative elements in traditional Japanese tea gardens where they served as a spiritual source of light for evening tea ceremonies. Often carved from granite stone, today’s vintage survivors serve as fashionable aesthetic elements in modern day Japanese and Asian inspired gardens. Today, during festivals and ceremonies, rice paper is often cut to fit stone lantern windows to increase reflection of candles placed inside them. Soon these paper lenses disappear and for one special evening and event, the glow is surreal.