A rare complete “Garden Cart” lantern -hard to find original that emits brilliant night light

Signed Toyo (Japan) on bottom of center section firebox

Brilliantly designed and a handsome lantern to admire at night

Japan, this handsome quality old style “garden cart” iron garden lantern is an exceptionally rare find and an authentic old work of Japanese art.

It comes complete with all its three (3) pieces entirely in tact: base wheeled cart supported by two children; the mid section firebox or planter, and the top finial in form of a Japanese foo lion, “komainu”. Its excellent condition makes this an especially desireable decorative accent to add to your indoor display or favorite outdoor space.

Created to original eponymous master craftsmanship standards, this exceptional lantern is an especially hard to find style -especially in its complete three piece form- and will be highly coveted in years ahead. Many of our customers may conveniently place LED or candles inside the bottom of the center section making a romantic and enjoyable decorative accent for entertaining friends and family.

Additionally it may double as a handsome planter for your special flowers or vines.

Substantial Dimensions: 14 inches tall and 13 inches wide, three pieces

Good indoor or garden candidate with attractive and prolific pierced perforations that burst with shining light at night.

Provenance: Old American- Japanese collection.

An excellent choice for your indoor or outdoor garden spaces.

Lifetime guarantee of authenticity.

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 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.