Antique Japanese Kashigata Confection Mold – Tai Fish Motif Large – 19th C. Hand Carved Wood Cricket Fighting Title: 旗屋 (Hataya — Flag

Title: 旗屋 (Hataya — Flag Merchant)

The beautiful abstract design is intersected with gold leaf and plum blossoms

The Ainu people traditionally carved these Kubori Kuma for religious purposes revering the Bear as a deity

A handsome and generously scaled Meiji Kutani ewer — the bamboo handle and trilobed spout are distinctive form elements

The exterior carries alternating white-reserve panels with floral sprays and iron-red ground panels with gilt arabesque

Antique Japanese Kashigata Confection Mold – Tai Fish Motif Large – 19th C. Hand Carved Wood Cricket Fighting Title: 旗屋 (Hataya — FlagDescription: Antique Japanese kashigata wooden confection mold, hand carved with the detailed form of a tai (sea bream), an auspicious symbol of good fortune and celebration. Measuring an unusually large 19" x 8", this mold was used for pressing sugar sweets (wagashi) for festive occasions such as weddings, New Year, and shrine offerings. Carved from hardwood with fine attention to detail in the scales, fins, and gills, the mold shows natural wear,