From our recent Japanese Acquisition Travels

Japan, an unusually large hand cast iron lantern in the form of a Japanese mountain “minka farm house” that might be placed in your favorite indoor or outdoor space. It has been beautifully caste in the form of one of Japan’s great historic architectural forms – the mountain Minka or Kusaya farmhouse crafted as a wonderful and useful lantern.

This is only the second example of this larger scale style we have seen in over fifteen years of dealing with fine Japanese garden ornaments.

Dimensions: 10 inches tall and 12 inches wide- a hefty example

Period: Taisho period (1912-1926).

Quality: Crafted from bronze; its feet allow stationed, elevated placement .

Good garden candidate- this is an ideal easily portable accent size for a small outdoor or indoor Zen garden.

Only one.

Provenance: Old Japanese American garden collection.

Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity. We are members of NAJGA- North American Japanese Garden Association

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.
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).

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.