Kanban 看板 (shop sign) with maneki'neko - Lacquered wood

A colourful wooden kanban 看板 (shop sign) featuring a white maneki-neko 招き猫 (beckoning cat) before the large, rounded red characters 大入 (ôiri, “full house”). The cat has black markings, a bell at its neck and its right paw raised in welcome. It sits on two patterned silk cushions. An ôiri sign could be given as a congratulatory gift for the opening of a theatre, restaurant or inn, and displayed to announce a full house. Here, the painted scene is set within a black lacquered frame with ornate gilt-metal corner mounts. The inscription on the right reads 磯崎武美 (Isozaki Takemi, probable reading); that on the left reads 古屋さん (Furuya-san, “Mr or Ms Furuya”). Period: Japan – Meiji period (1868–1912). Dimensions: Height 54.5 cm; width 34 cm; depth 3.3 cm. In very good condition, with expected signs of age and use, including some lacquer loss along the edges. Please refer to the photographs for a clear impression of the condition.

Estimate:$448.08

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