Japanese Okimono Bronze Figure of a Rat 1950s

Description

Japanese Okimono Bronze Figure of a Rat.
DIMENSIONS: Height: 6.25 in Width: 4.25 in Depth: 3.5 in.
Hand made in … more Japanese Okimono Bronze Figure of a Rat.
DIMENSIONS: Height: 6.25 in Width: 4.25 in Depth: 3.5 in.
Hand made in Japan circa 1950s.
A large heavy vintage bronze statue of a rat made in Japan.
The rat is one of the twelve Zodiac animals and is associated with luck, wisdom, charm, frugality and ambitiousness.
Hand made artifact Okimono of a Rat.
Brown Bronze sculpture representing a rat. Dosei (Bronze made) Fuku nezumi (Lucky mouse rat; one of the twelve animals relative to the twelve year cycle, or "eto") . Okimono ( oki-mono) is a Japanese term meaning "ornament for display; objet d'art; decorative object", typically displayed in a tokonoma alcove or butsudan altar.
Rat Rats symbolizes good luck and "plenty", because if one has rats, that means there is enough stored grains around in the house to have them.
In the Zodiac Compass the rat represents North, which is also the first year in the cycle.
Period Mid 20th century Showa Period.
Condition: Some small flea bites loss of paint, see pictures. less