Extraordinary size

Japanese massive over size owl lighting lantern, 13 inches tall.

This handsome Japanese quality over sized iron “Owl” lantern is a special find and an authentic old work of art. It may well be one of only a handful of these enormous scale works of art ever crafted and produced. It dates to Showa period.
It is marked JAPAN on its round bottom twist off candle/light access.

Its design is unique . Please note the exaggerated ears, nose, and wide breast feather detail plus its heavily engraved wings. This larger than normal size owl and its prolific perforations allow light to burst out creating an astounding light show. It is an authentic early example and would be a coveted acquisition for your prominent indoor display gallery or outdoor special garden space.

In a convenient portable size, may be suspended from loop or installed on any surface.

Dimensions: 13 inches tall to top of loop handle and a plump 7.5 inches wide, heavy weighing in at 7.2 pounds

This handsome lantern would make you an excellent indoor gallery display or become a favorite work of art for your special garden space and will likely become a stellar conversational display for all your friends, family, and community to appreciate.

Possesses an original old muted greenish patina- just the way we like to find them.

Photographed in natural day light.

Provenance: Old American garden.

Many of our customers place LED or candles inside the main section making a romantic and enjoyable decorative accent for entertaining friends and family. It’s a perfect choice for your indoor or outdoor garden space.

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.