Features
A signed vintage piece: the signature on the base shows it was made by hand rather than mass-produced in a factory, which adds to both its collectability and its identification.
Charming and artistic at once: the round-eyed cat is lively and amusing, an ornament that is both soothing and artistic.
Symbolic meaning: in Japanese culture the cat stands for inviting wealth and guarding the home, making it a fitting auspicious ornament.
A comfortable size: at 16 cm high it takes up little room and suits a desktop, a display cabinet or an entrance hall.
Not one of the usual mass-produced maneki-neko but a vintage Japanese piece, signed underneath and painted entirely by hand — even the flying-bird pattern on its back seems to carry a story. The big round eyes look as though they are waiting for you to come home: charming, with something of an old soul about it.
At 16 cm high it is just the right size for a table, a bookshelf or a corner of the entrance hall. It also makes very good company on a desk — one look and the mood lifts.
Ceramic cats like this are also, in Japanese culture, a symbol of inviting wealth and guarding the home, so it is a welcome choice as a gift, for a shop opening, or simply for oneself.