Unusual Find- A First

Japan, this handsome quality pair (2) of old grey and black “Eagle” motif tea garden lanterns are the first pair of their kind we have ever seen.

Signed “Japan” on bottom, 1930s.

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

Dimensions: 12 inches tall to top of loop handle and 7 inches wide at wings
Good garden candidate- these are ideal accent sizes for a small outdoor or indoor Zen or Tea garden.

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

Provenance: Old American- Japanese garden.

Many of our customers place led or oil candles or tea lights 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: All of our Asian works of art come with our Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee.

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.