Museum Piece. Now in our Kyoto warehouse awaiting shipment.

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Japan, an early “Christian” granite stone lantern with weathering from great age, and dating to the 18th/19th century. This is a classic tea master lantern style first observed in Japanese gardens about the 17th century.

Exceptionally rare, this lantern has an unusual figure carved on its lower pole base. This figure is thought to be a Christian figure which was infrequently carved on the lowest section and buried into the ground by its owners to escape observation from potential religious persecution. On its firebox we can view weathered images of buddhas or Buddhist personages.

Dimensions: 72 inches high and 30 inches wide, five pieces

The striking and well proportioned hand-carved sculpture as an Oribe style lantern fashioned in five parts from granite as roof kasa and light chamber/base Hibukuro/kiso all with substantial weathering, lichen, and patina from appropriate relevant age dating to this early period.

Provenance: Found from a Kyoto area garden.

This beautifully hand-carved sculpture would make an exceptional visual statement and substantial conversational choice for your special garden location. Many of our customers place LED candles inside the main section making a romantic and enjoyable decorative accent for entertaining friends and family in the garden.

All hand-carved with fine original lichen and patina from great age.
Only one.

Call Us:
Call or email us for additional details or to reserve as it is one of a kind.

Lifetime guarantee of authenticity.

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

We specialize in old and authentic Japanese stone garden ornaments.

Our gallery has been dealing in authentic Japanese antiques and fine Asian art, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for 25 years. Our president personally travels to 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 Oribe lanterns:
Oribe was the leading 17th century Japanese tea master after Sen No Rikyu -the father of the modern tea ceremony. Oribe designed this lantern style to represent the secular nature of lanterns installed in private tea gardens- apart from shrine or temple applications . The Christian figure represented on its pole section prevailed on a rare few of these lanterns as Christian followers continued to practice their religion in secret and disguising their religious icons as objects of Buddhist worship.