Japan, a rare Cat “Maneki Neko” antique shop sign kanban -a beautifully handmade, hand carved, and hand painted in red, white, black, and green colors for a welcoming shop entrance. Many antique Japanese shop signs are fascinating and intriguing, reflecting the unique aesthetics and culture of their time.

The Maneki-neko or beckoning cat, is a common Japanese figure which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner.

It comes complete with its original iron loops for suspension on top and mounting on your favorite wall space.

Dimensions: 24 inches high and 16.75 inches wide

Age: Taisho period (1912-1926).

Provenance: old private Kanban shop sign collection.

Good condition, original patina and wear from appropriate age.
Hand-carved and hand painted.

About Kanban
Kanban are Japanese traditional shop signs that merchants display inside shops or on the street to advertise their presence, represent the products and services to be found inside their shops, or crafted as a welcoming element to signify “good luck and prosperity”. Created from various materials: wood, bamboo, iron, paper, fabric, gold leaf, and lacquer, these unique objects evoke the frenetic market scenes of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Japan, where merchants created worldly symbols and meaning designed to entice customer traffic.

Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity: All our Asian works of art are accompanied by our lifetime guarantee of authenticity.
We have been dealing in authentic Chinese and Japanese antiquities, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for 25 years. Our president personally travels to Japan 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.