My Maneki Neko Page
(Updated 6/8/08)
CLICK ON EACH PICTURE FOR A LARGER IMAGE
Often known as the "lucky cat" or "welcoming cat,"
the Japanese maneki neko is supposed to bring good fortune into a home or
business. An excellent article
from Akanezumiya Japanese Antiques gives more information on the history
and meaning of the maneki neko. This page is dedicated to my small collection
of antique and vintage nekos.
I actually specialize in German
bathing beauties and related "naughty" novelties, but I have
found myself more than once being beckoned by an irresistable maneki.
My first maneki neko, a gift from my parents who came across this
petite pussycat in an antique shop in England. Of heavy grayish ceramic,
he is just 2 inches tall. If the rule of thumb (claw?) that the higher the
paw, the newer the maneki, holds true, then this little guy is an early
example.
My next maneki, out of an estate
in Austin. A towering 10 inches tall, he has a sly face with side glancing
eyes. Note his elaborate colorful bib with golden bells. I am one of those
people that when I get two of something, suddenly I find myself starting
a collection. So the following nekos have since been welcomed into my home.
A very well-fed feline, this
10-inch tall maneki is beautifully decorated, with variegated tortoiseshell
markings and a bib with raised designs and applied bells and bow.
If the two preceding nekos
are my biggest, this guy is my smallest. Carved of bone or ivory, he is
only 3/4 of an inch tall. Note his right paw is raised.
This tiny tabby is also carved
of bone or ivory and is a mere 3/4 inches tall. His striped coat is beautifully
painted.
Another early example, this
4.75 inch tall maneki is lavishly decorated with gold, with gilt touches
even on his whiskers and claws.
This serene feline looks so
benevolent, he appears to be giving a blessing instead of merely beckoning.
An early example, he is 6 inches tall.
This fine feline is festive in his beautifully decorated bib. 8 inches
tall, he is an exceptionally handsome early neko.
Striking an unusual pose, with one hind leg folded in front of him,
this 5.5 inch tall neko has finely brushstroked markings and a bib delicately
decorated with raised designs.
Another "righty,"
this 2.75 inch tall neko has a molded collar with an oversized bell.
Painted with panache with bright
colors and gilt, this neko has an endearing folk art quality. His raised
left paw is applied and, unlike many maneki nekos, he has a long tail curling
behind him. Of a heavy gray ceramic, he is 5.5 inches tall.
This 4.5 inch tall neko could
be the little brother of the preceding puss, because he is made of the the
same sort of material and decorated in the same bold manner. The modeling
is similar, but he wears a collar instead of a bib and it is his right paw
that is raised.
Obviously from the same folk tradition, this maneki mother and
her two kittens are also made of heavy gray ceramic and decorated in similar
bold, bright strokes. The mother cat wears an unusual pleated bib, while
her kittens are clad only in collars. The seated kitten copies his mother
by raising a front paw. Only 2.25 inches tall, this piece packs a lot of
charm in a small size.
Glazed a pale celadon, this
3.25 inch tall cat is an early example with nice molded details and a cunning
facial expression.
Here's a neko any collector
would flip his/her lid for. A sizable 9 inches tall, he wears a beautifully
decorated bib with applied bow and gilt bells. He looks like any traditional
neko. . .
but he has a secret! His head
lifts off, revealing a hidden compartment (perhaps to store a stash of catnip?).
Underneath is a paper label of the upscale department store, Neiman Marcus.
This fine flowered feline,
bedecked with butterflies, was found in a local antique shop. He is done
in satsuma style, with crackled glaze and decorations outlined in gold.
His bells and bow are applied and the bib is handpainted, but his other
designs seem to be gilt decal outlines, which the artist colored in with
light tints of color. Well modeled, he is 7 inches tall, and unmarked. But
how old is he?
This colorful kitty, at 5.5
inches tall, seems to be the smaller version of the preceding neko. The
modeling appears to be identical, except that in the smaller version, the
bells and bow are molded, not applied, and the upraised paw is molded to
the side of the head. The butterfly and flower trim are also similar. The
painting is not as fine as on the larger version, and he has very uncatlike
"Tammy Faye" eyelashes! This neko has a raised lip running along
the rim of the base and an airhole the size of a quarter; although the larger
version has a flat bottom and a tiny airhole underneath, you can see the
outline of a similar lip. I can date the smaller neko because he was a present
to me, purchased new some 20 years ago at a gift shop in San Francisco (which
I guess makes him vintage at this point in time!). He is marked with a red
chop over "Takahashi" and carries a round gold paper label with
the words "Takahashi San Francisco 91403 Made in Japan" circling
a stylized daisy. So is the preceding neko a finer, earlier piece from the
same model, or he is contemporary with his "little brother," but
was just lavished with more care because of his larger size?
And here is the same model,
but with the more traditional spots. Also 5.5 inches tall, he has the same
lip on the base and large airhole as the preceding neko, as well as the
same bib and long lashes. But he is marked only with red Japanese lettering
underneath. This neko was also a present, purchased in Japan by a friend.
She had been told he was very old.
A folk art example, this 5.5
inch tall neko is of painted clay. His time-worn patina adds to his considerable
charm.
Another pottery piece, this
vintage black cat is a bank with a slot in the back of his head for coins,
but no opening on the bottom to remove them. The only way to get your money
back would have been to break him, but apparently his appealing expression
spared him this cruel fate. He is 4.25 inches tall.
This golden cat's large down-turned
eyes give him a wistful look. Found at an estate sale, this 4inch high ceramic
neko may have originally been intended to be a bank, as there is a molded
slot in the back of his head, but it was never cut open.
This unusual clay maneki neko
holds the uchidenokozuchi, the lucky hammer carried by Daikoku-san,
the Japanese deity of wealth and prosperity. According to legend, shaking
the hammer or striking it on the ground produced showers of gold coins.
He is a bank, because there is a slot in the back of his head, but the opening
underneath is still sealed by its original rice paper, covered in Japanese
calligraphy. 6.5 inches tall, he is decorated with tarnished gilt, has traces
of spots and whiskers, and deep intaglio pupils.
These nekos are finds
from two different garage sales. The sale where I purchased the smaller
cat featured a large number of vintage oriental items, such as one might
pick up as souvenirs after World War II. These nekos are both banks, with
slots in the back of their heads for coins and large round holes underneath,
once covered with with thin paper, for the easy extraction of your savings.
The large one is 6 inches, the smaller is 5. They are made of a lightweight
pottery. Only the smaller neko is marked; there is a torn blue and silver
label on the bottom with Japanese writing and a portion of a name ("Omosh.
. . ").
This merry maneki not only
sports a charming smile, but an unusual pose, exposing the bottom of his
right foot. He is of pottery and is 9 inches tall. He is a bank, with slot
in the back of his head and two holes underneath for the removal of the
money, both still sealed with paper.
This gleaming black vintage
pottery puss is also a bank, with a slot in the back of his head and two
holes underneath, one still sealed with a round label carrying the stylized
image of a king resembling those found in a traditional western deck of
cards. He (the cat, not the king) is 9 inches tall.
This kanban, a wooden shop
sign, has a maneki neko carved on each side. One side shows the neko with
his eyes open and I have been told that the Japanese down his front means
shopping time or period. Turn the sign over, and the neko's eyes, and the
store, are closed! He is 22 inches tall.
Hand carved out of a single
sizable piece of bamboo, this 8-inch tall maneki neko was purchased in Japan.
He has a wonderfully expressive face and the natural striations in the bamboo
create the impression of fur.
I hope you enjoyed this short tour. If you are a fellow maneki neko fan,
please feel free to e-mail me at bblady@onr.com
with comments, suggestions, or information.
LUCKY CAT LINKS!: For many more maneki nekos, visit Donald Hargrove's web
page featuring his extensive and eclectic maneki collection, with lots
of links to other lucky cat sites!
There is a Maneki
Neko Museum in Seto, Japan. It contains a private collection of over
1,000 items. If any of you are lucky enough to go, send me a postcard!
My next maneki, out of an estate
in Austin. A towering 10 inches tall, he has a sly face with side glancing
eyes. Note his elaborate colorful bib with golden bells. I am one of those
people that when I get two of something, suddenly I find myself starting
a collection. So the following nekos have since been welcomed into my home.
A very well-fed feline, this
10-inch tall maneki is beautifully decorated, with variegated tortoiseshell
markings and a bib with raised designs and applied bells and bow.
If the two preceding nekos
are my biggest, this guy is my smallest. Carved of bone or ivory, he is
only 3/4 of an inch tall. Note his right paw is raised.
This tiny tabby is also carved
of bone or ivory and is a mere 3/4 inches tall. His striped coat is beautifully
painted.
Another early example, this
4.75 inch tall maneki is lavishly decorated with gold, with gilt touches
even on his whiskers and claws.
This serene feline looks so
benevolent, he appears to be giving a blessing instead of merely beckoning.
An early example, he is 6 inches tall.
Another "righty,"
this 2.75 inch tall neko has a molded collar with an oversized bell.
Painted with panache with bright
colors and gilt, this neko has an endearing folk art quality. His raised
left paw is applied and, unlike many maneki nekos, he has a long tail curling
behind him. Of a heavy gray ceramic, he is 5.5 inches tall.
This 4.5 inch tall neko could
be the little brother of the preceding puss, because he is made of the the
same sort of material and decorated in the same bold manner. The modeling
is similar, but he wears a collar instead of a bib and it is his right paw
that is raised.
Obviously from the same folk tradition, this maneki mother and
her two kittens are also made of heavy gray ceramic and decorated in similar
bold, bright strokes. The mother cat wears an unusual pleated bib, while
her kittens are clad only in collars. The seated kitten copies his mother
by raising a front paw. Only 2.25 inches tall, this piece packs a lot of
charm in a small size.
Glazed a pale celadon, this
3.25 inch tall cat is an early example with nice molded details and a cunning
facial expression.
Here's a neko any collector
would flip his/her lid for. A sizable 9 inches tall, he wears a beautifully
decorated bib with applied bow and gilt bells. He looks like any traditional
neko. . . 
but he has a secret! His head
lifts off, revealing a hidden compartment (perhaps to store a stash of catnip?).
Underneath is a paper label of the upscale department store, Neiman Marcus.
This fine flowered feline,
bedecked with butterflies, was found in a local antique shop. He is done
in satsuma style, with crackled glaze and decorations outlined in gold.
His bells and bow are applied and the bib is handpainted, but his other
designs seem to be gilt decal outlines, which the artist colored in with
light tints of color. Well modeled, he is 7 inches tall, and unmarked. But
how old is he?
This colorful kitty, at 5.5
inches tall, seems to be the smaller version of the preceding neko. The
modeling appears to be identical, except that in the smaller version, the
bells and bow are molded, not applied, and the upraised paw is molded to
the side of the head. The butterfly and flower trim are also similar. The
painting is not as fine as on the larger version, and he has very uncatlike
"Tammy Faye" eyelashes! This neko has a raised lip running along
the rim of the base and an airhole the size of a quarter; although the larger
version has a flat bottom and a tiny airhole underneath, you can see the
outline of a similar lip. I can date the smaller neko because he was a present
to me, purchased new some 20 years ago at a gift shop in San Francisco (which
I guess makes him vintage at this point in time!). He is marked with a red
chop over "Takahashi" and carries a round gold paper label with
the words "Takahashi San Francisco 91403 Made in Japan" circling
a stylized daisy. So is the preceding neko a finer, earlier piece from the
same model, or he is contemporary with his "little brother," but
was just lavished with more care because of his larger size? 
And here is the same model,
but with the more traditional spots. Also 5.5 inches tall, he has the same
lip on the base and large airhole as the preceding neko, as well as the
same bib and long lashes. But he is marked only with red Japanese lettering
underneath. This neko was also a present, purchased in Japan by a friend.
She had been told he was very old.
A folk art example, this 5.5
inch tall neko is of painted clay. His time-worn patina adds to his considerable
charm.
Another pottery piece, this
vintage black cat is a bank with a slot in the back of his head for coins,
but no opening on the bottom to remove them. The only way to get your money
back would have been to break him, but apparently his appealing expression
spared him this cruel fate. He is 4.25 inches tall.
This golden cat's large down-turned
eyes give him a wistful look. Found at an estate sale, this 4inch high ceramic
neko may have originally been intended to be a bank, as there is a molded
slot in the back of his head, but it was never cut open.
This unusual clay maneki neko
holds the uchidenokozuchi, the lucky hammer carried by Daikoku-san,
the Japanese deity of wealth and prosperity. According to legend, shaking
the hammer or striking it on the ground produced showers of gold coins.
He is a bank, because there is a slot in the back of his head, but the opening
underneath is still sealed by its original rice paper, covered in Japanese
calligraphy. 6.5 inches tall, he is decorated with tarnished gilt, has traces
of spots and whiskers, and deep intaglio pupils.
These nekos are finds
from two different garage sales. The sale where I purchased the smaller
cat featured a large number of vintage oriental items, such as one might
pick up as souvenirs after World War II. These nekos are both banks, with
slots in the back of their heads for coins and large round holes underneath,
once covered with with thin paper, for the easy extraction of your savings.
The large one is 6 inches, the smaller is 5. They are made of a lightweight
pottery. Only the smaller neko is marked; there is a torn blue and silver
label on the bottom with Japanese writing and a portion of a name ("Omosh.
. . ").
This merry maneki not only
sports a charming smile, but an unusual pose, exposing the bottom of his
right foot. He is of pottery and is 9 inches tall. He is a bank, with slot
in the back of his head and two holes underneath for the removal of the
money, both still sealed with paper. 
This gleaming black vintage
pottery puss is also a bank, with a slot in the back of his head and two
holes underneath, one still sealed with a round label carrying the stylized
image of a king resembling those found in a traditional western deck of
cards. He (the cat, not the king) is 9 inches tall.
This kanban, a wooden shop
sign, has a maneki neko carved on each side. One side shows the neko with
his eyes open and I have been told that the Japanese down his front means
shopping time or period. Turn the sign over, and the neko's eyes, and the
store, are closed! He is 22 inches tall.
Hand carved out of a single
sizable piece of bamboo, this 8-inch tall maneki neko was purchased in Japan.
He has a wonderfully expressive face and the natural striations in the bamboo
create the impression of fur.