box, dog (?) with tail curved over; paper mache with polychrome flowers, a stork and green and red collar; (a) is dog-cover, 1. 6.3 cm; (b) box-base, 1. 6 cm
Donor:
Lloyd W. Swift
Collection place:
Japan
Verbatim coll. place:
Japan, unspecified
Collector:
Lloyd W. Swift
Materials:
Paint (coating) and Paper mache
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Boxes (containers)
Function:
6.2 Toys, Children’s Utensils, Objects used in the Education of Children
Accession date:
1977
Context of use:
old label says: "Aoki gave me this and said it was 250 years old and was used in fetes (doll fetes?) on the first shelf the emperor and empress etc - then something else and on the third shelf little animals like this - she said it was very rare." This specimen resembles netsuke 9-4817 which may be inu-hariko, a dog-doll box which has childbirth and erotic association, symbolizes easy delivery and healthy growth re: pregnancy and babies; also symbol of gratitude for its master's favors.