This is a rare antique Japanese porcelain Maneki Neko (beckoning cat) in a side sitting pose with its left paw raised to bring happiness and good luck to its owner. It was entirely hand painted and features a Botan (Peony) flower as its main collar decoration. Its peaceful face is beautiful and serene and its fox-like raised ears shows that it is listening to the surrounding sounds.

An interesting feature is its open base and holes through each ear suggesting that its main purpose when made was to act as a decorative cover for incense burning. The ear holes allowed both air for the incense to burn as well as holes to allow the smoke to pass. Minor wear to the tips of the ears commensurate with its age.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 4 3/4" Wide x 7 3/4" High x 3 1/2" Deep