Vintage · Made in Japan · one of one
Kutani porcelain · overglaze enamel and gold · lacquer stand
Kutani Shishimai Child, Seika
A round-cheeked child kneels on one knee, the lion's blue scrolling cloak thrown over the head and the golden lion mask lifted in one hand, as if just stepping out of the dance to rest.
$330 Free shipping to 32 countries
Order by December 8 to make sure it arrives before Christmas.
We ship to mainland China: free, tracked. Import duties, if any, are paid on delivery. Where we ship
A gift for luck and protection · a new home · a new baby · a collector
Leaves Fukuoka within three business days by EMS, with tracking.
Condition report
- Condition
- vintage, from a private collection, kept in storage and never displayed
Want a closer look at a mark or an edge? Ask for more photographs.
The story: Kutani wareWatch the 64-second film, or read it →What buyers say · ★★★★★ on Etsy
“Received updates regarding the item I purchased and when it arrived could tell that it was packed with care; my fragile ceramic bunny arrived in perfect condition! A wonderful purchase and I would buy from this shop again”
Jessica · United States
1 more from buyers
“Item was as described and in photos shown. Excellent quality. Seller very knowledgable and took the time to explain everything”
Tiang N. · Australia
- Made in Japan. Made in Japan, found in Japan, and sent to you from Fukuoka.
- One of one. This exact piece, photographed in our studio in Fukuoka.
- Returns within 14 days of delivery. Not right? Send it back as it came and we refund the full price, return postage included.
- Packed safely, sent by EMS within three business days, fully insured, with tracking.
Duties, checkout and extras
- ★ 5.0 on Etsy · Star Seller. Read the reviews ↗
- Import tax. It depends on your country; if any is due, it is collected on delivery.
- US import duties. Already included in the price: nothing to pay at your door.
- Secure checkout by Stripe — cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay. No account needed.
- Two pieces, one parcel. Each extra piece in the same order is $15 off at checkout.
- Orders of $200 or more travel with a gift to keep: Japanese chopsticks with a rest in a paulownia box, or a Nara kaya-cloth handkerchief.
The story
Every New Year in Japan, the shishimai lion dances from door to door, and parents hold their children up for it to snap its jaws over their heads. A bite from the lion is said to chase off bad luck and keep a child well for the year. Here the child has taken the lion's head instead, and looks rather pleased about it.
The green karakusa cloth is the lion's own coat. On the apron swims a carp, the fish said to climb a waterfall and become a dragon: the old wish for a child to grow up strong.
The craft
Kutani porcelain, painted in overglaze enamel and gold, and signed Seika, 清香, on the base. It stands on a black lacquer display board.
Living with it
A gift for a new baby, a child's first New Year, or a grandparent who remembers being bitten by the lion. If you were once a child held up to those jaws, you will smile at this one. It needs a shelf of its own.
• Kutani porcelain, overglaze enamel and gold, signed Seika (清香) • With original paper box and black lacquer display board • Made in Japan
How it travels
Packed safely, insured in full
Every piece is packed by hand in Fukuoka inside a sturdy 3 mm corrugated carton, cushioned all round with air pillows so it cannot move. It travels with tracking all the way to your door: by EMS, insured for its full value, on orders of $100 or more, and by tracked airmail below that.
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A question about this piece — size, marks, condition? Ask the house, we answer within a day.