Vintage Japanese Mingei Folk Art Wooden Cat Sculpture, 1986

Vintage Japanese Mingei Folk Art Wooden Cat Sculpture, 1986

$423.00 $470.00
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Vintage Japanese Mingei Folk Art Wooden Cat Sculpture, 1986
  • Vintage Japanese Mingei Folk Art Wooden Cat Sculpture, 1986
  • Front view of a seated Japanese wooden cat sculpture with a reddish-brown finish, upright ears, wide-set eyes, broad front paws, and a thick tail curled across its feet.
  • Left-facing profile of a reddish-brown carved wooden cat, with pointed ears, a rounded muzzle, a small carved symbol on its haunch, and a thick tail circling the base. A visible separation follows the wood grain down its side.
  • Rear view of a seated reddish-brown wooden cat sculpture, showing a tall rounded back with scattered carving marks, two pointed ears, and a thick tail wrapped around the base.
  • Right-facing profile of a seated wooden cat sculpture with a rounded body, upright pointed ears, thick front paws, and a tail curled around the base. Fine tool marks are visible in its dark reddish-brown surface.
  • Close-up of the face and chest of a reddish-brown carved wooden cat, showing pointed ears, wide almond-shaped eyes, a small nose, a gently curved mouth, and fine lines in the wood.
  • Overhead view of a dark reddish-brown carved wooden cat sculpture, showing its broad, rounded back, two pointed ears, and thick curled tail. Fine carving marks, small pale specks, and visible separations in the wood follow the contours of the body.
  • Close-up of a reddish-brown carved wooden cat sculpture showing an angular incised mark on the rounded haunch, a long separation in the wood beside it, and a thick tail curling around the base.
  • Underside of a wooden cat sculpture showing a pale, unpainted wood base with the handwritten Japanese name 猫次郎 (Nekojirō) and date 86.5.25 in black ink. The dark carved tail curves around the edge.
Vintage Japanese Mingei Folk Art Wooden Cat Sculpture, 1986

Vintage Japanese Mingei Folk Art Wooden Cat Sculpture, 1986

● Acquired

$423.00 $470.00
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Details

Meet Nekojirō (猫次郎), a captivating hand-carved wooden cat from Japan, dated May 25, 1986.

Nearly 13 inches tall and weighing over five pounds, Nekojirō is a wonderfully individual piece of Japanese folk art from the late Shōwa period. His name and date are handwritten on the underside, preserving a small piece of his history, even as the identity of the carver remains unknown to us.

Japanese folk carving has a long tradition of turning familiar animals into objects with distinctive personalities. Nekojirō carries that tradition forward with the warmth, individuality, and directness of handwork celebrated by the Mingei movement. A characterful piece for collectors of Japanese folk art, wooden sculpture, and vintage Japanese design.

Details

  • Origin: Japan

  • Date: May 25, 1986

  • Period: Shōwa period

  • Material: Carved wood

  • Inscription: 猫次郎 (Nekojirō), dated '86.5.25, on underside

  • Artist: Unknown

  • Dimensions: Approximately 12.8 H × 5.9 W × 6.9 D inches (32.5 × 15 × 17.5 cm)

  • Weight: 5 lb 4 oz (2,392 g)

Condition

Good vintage condition, with age-related imperfections & individual character, including a vertical separation along the grain. The sculpture is solid and stable in hand.

FROM THE TEXTILE LIBRARY

Mingei

When the ordinary is extraordinary.

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