Antique Japanese Okimono Porcelain Figurine of Kintaro

Details

Description

A fine vintage Japanese porcelain figurine or okimono.

Depicting Kintaro (金太郎) wrestling a giant catfish or koi fish.

Kintaro (known … Read more A fine vintage Japanese porcelain figurine or okimono.

Depicting Kintaro (金太郎) wrestling a giant catfish or koi fish.

Kintaro (known later in life as Sakata no Kintoki) is a Japanese larger-than-life folklore hero. Known for being raised in the mountains by a yamauba (山姥) or mountain witch, Kintaro is famous for his superhuman, Herculean strength and close rapport with animals. Kintaro famously wrestled and killed a giant carp under the Bishamon waterfall to avenge his mother.

Kintaro is a popular symbol used on Japan's Boy's Day/Children's Day, in hopes that young boys grow up to be strong and brave like him.

Simply a wonderful Japanese porcelain folklore figurine!

Date:
Early 20th Century

Overall Condition:
It is in overall fair, as-pictured, used estate condition.

Condition Details:
There are likely some old professional repairs around the fish's mouth and tail with overpaint. There are small spots of loss here and there (especially to the tip of the boy's nose and around the fish's whiskers). Otherwise, there is some light edge wear, some fine & light surface scratches and other signs of expected light wear consistent with age.

Marks:
Unmarked

Measurements:
Height: ca. 6 1/8 in.
Width: ca. 3 7/8 in.
Depth: ca. 3 5/8 in.

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