Vintage · Made in Japan · one of one
Kutani porcelain · raised enamel (mori) · 7 cm
Kutani Maneki-neko, Black Mori
A small Kutani beckoning cat, 7 cm tall, in black porcelain covered with raised lines of enamel.
$110 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 collector · a new business
Leaves Fukuoka within three business days by EMS, with tracking.
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
In 1477, the story goes, the warrior Ōta Dōkan, the man who built the first castle at Edo, was caught out after dark during a battle and lost his way. A black cat appeared on the path and lifted its paw, as if calling him. He followed it to a small temple, where he sheltered safely for the night. The temple kept the memory of the cat, and the black beckoning cat has stood for protection ever since.
A maneki-neko is kept in homes and shops as a talisman. A raised right paw is said to invite money and good fortune; a raised left paw draws people and customers.
The craft
Kutani ware, finished in a technique called mori, 盛. Craftsmen use a tool known as an itchin to pipe thick overglaze enamel onto the porcelain, which leaves raised, three-dimensional lines across the figure. It has a deep, tactile texture that catches the light differently from flat painting.
Living with it
Small enough for a desk, a bedside table or a windowsill. If you have ever been shown the way home by a stranger, you will like this cat. A gift for someone setting out alone: a new city, a new job.
• Kutani porcelain, black, raised enamel (mori) • Vintage • 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.