*THIS ITEM WEIGHS 1645 GRAMS WITHOUT PACKAGING, PLEASE SCROLL TO THE END OF THIS LISTING FOR SHIPPING DETAILS AND UPGRADES.
This listing is for a vintage Hokkaido bear wall hanging dated Showa 50 (1975). The fur is wonderfully textured from where the tools have rigorously worked the surface, and it’s fashioned from a single piece of wood. The wood has been finished with black lacquer and has a slightly shiny appearance. There’s a hole in the back so the bear can be slotted onto something like a bolt on the wall. This piece is ideal for displaying on a cabin wall, in a bar, a pool room or even on a garage wall. The signature of the craftsman can be found on the back along with the date.
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 recognised as beautiful works of art.
Size
H.27.7cm (10.9”) x 26.4cm (10.3”) across x 12cm (4.7”) from back to front
Condition
It’s in pretty good condition aside from some missing lacquer (nose, mouth, some of its fur), some light scratches and scuffing, and minor splits in the back.
THESE ARE SHIPPING ESTIMATES BASED ON THE CURRENT GLOBAL SITUATION
**Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia: NO SHIPPING. Very strict and expensive packaging laws in place and we are not licensed to send products to these countries. 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 (10-15 days) available for an additional 5100 yen.
**UK , Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway: SAL Sea Mail (approx. 8-12 weeks depending on the destination), an upgrade for EMS Express (10-15 days) available for an additional 4050 yen.
**Asia: SAL Sea Mail (approx. 6-8 weeks), an upgrade for EMS Express (7-10 days) available for an additional 2050 yen.
**Russia: No shipping methods available.
