*THIS ITEM WEIGHS 1505 GRAMS WITHOUT PACKAGING, PLEASE SCROLL TO THE END OF THIS LISTING FOR SHIPPING DETAILS AND UPGRADES.
This listing is for a Higuma bear carving from the northern island of Hokkaido, made about 40-50 years ago. The surface is quite smooth and parts of the bear have been carved with short lines to create the illusion of fur. This piece is fashioned from a single block of wood, and it’s a little unusual in that the bear is in a sitting pose. The shiny stained finish suggests that this is a newer bear carved sometime in the 70s or 80s.
The Ainu people of Japan first started commercial wood carving back in the1920s. Traditionally their carvings consisted of religious objects, however dire economic circumstances forced them to turn to wood carving for tourists. Their wares, particularly the Higuma bear carvings, became very popular as souvenirs due to their very realistic appearance. The Emperor himself acquired a Higuma bear made by a highly talented carver named Umetaro Matsui in 1938. Following this Matsui won many awards for his work, and gradually these ornate carvings became recognized as beautiful works of art.
Size
H.25cm (9.8”) x 19cm (7.4”) across x 17.3cm (6.8”) from back to front
Condition
Minor dents, a few patches of worn lacquer, scratches and scuffing. There’s a piece chipped off where the front leg is resting on the back leg, and the wood is a little splintered on the fur on the side of the face (left side).
THESE ARE SHIPPING ESTIMATES BASED ON THE CURRENT GLOBAL SITUATION
**Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia: NO SHIPPING. The aforementioned countries have very strict and expensive packaging laws in place and we are not licensed to send products to your country. We have no plan to register at this time because the process is in some cases very expensive and complicated, plus each country has its own set of regulations and application process.
**USA: SAL Sea Mail (approx. 11-12 weeks), an upgrade for EMS Express (7-10 days) available for an additional 5100 yen.
**UK , Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe: SAL Sea Mail (approx. 8-12 weeks depending on the destination), an upgrade for EMS Express (7-10 days) available for an additional 4050 yen.
**Asia: SAL Sea Mail (approx. 6-8 weeks), an upgrade for EMS Express (5-7 days) available for an additional 2050 yen.
**Middle East, Central Asia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico: EMS Express only (7-15 days).
**Russia: No shipping methods available.
