Friendly Treasures

This pair (2) of charming snail form lanterns could be a delightful accent to your favorite garden space or indoor display spot.

Their handcrafted , heavily hand cast and numerous finely detailed heads, ears, eyes, and back perforations offer incredible light reflections when you place your favorite lighting devices inside. The bottom allows easy access to insert your favorite LED or candle light. These are one of the most whimsical intriguing and well designed Asian lantern renditions we have had the pleasure of owning.

Impressive old hand painted surfaces and patina from appropriate age. Heavily hand cast for convenient portability. They may be suspended from their top loops or may be comfortably placed on any surface on their oval flat bottoms.

Hard to find especially as a pair. in this fine condition.

Dimensions: 7 inches tall to top of suspension loop and 11 inches long.

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

Good garden candidates.
Only one pair.

Provenance: Old garden collection.

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

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 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).