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Shimizu Lucky Cats
Handmade Papermache
red, white or black
3 1/2" x 2 1/2": $20
with shipping: $29
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Maneki Neko
THE STORY OF THE BECKONING LUCKY CAT
The folk tale that accompanies the cat goes something like this:
There was once an old and lonely man
who owned a small shop. The man had no family and
consequently relied solely on his shop for income. Now business was very bad and
the old man was running out of food and had no money to buy more. The day
came that he cooked his last bowl of rice. Just as he sat to eat his last meal a small
and hungry kitten came to him and rubbed against his leg mewing and purring
pleadingly. After a time the old man thought that while he had nothing left to live
for, the cat was still young and had a full life ahead of it, and so he gave the last of
his food to the little cat. The next day the old man awoke and as he made
preparations to die there came a steady stream of customers through his doors. At
the end of a very busy day, the old man, wondering at this turn of events, searched
for the cause and found the small cat sitting upright by his front door beckoning to
all who passed by.
If you walk into any store anywhere in Japan the chances are excellent that
you will see somewhere this traditional Beckoning Cat. Actually, no store worth its
salt would ever consider doing business without one of these lucky mascots, since
they are believed to call in cash and customers. People also keep them in their
homes to beckon in plain old generic good luck!
The above story comes with every Lucky Cat, so they make the perfect gift!
If you are interested in Antique
Lucky Cats you can visit our store in New York City, or look
at our VINTAGE LUCKY CATS page. Please Note: our Antique Cats are all
one-of-a-kind, and availability is limited. These cats are usually
30 to 60 years old, in a variety of unique shapes and sizes.
They usually range in price from $75 to $350. Because they are
all one of a kind, they sell out quickly. Please email us first
to make sure we have them in stock.
TO ORDER YOUR LUCKY CAT, call
us at our Retail Store Old Japan in Lenox, MA, between the hours
of 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. (EST), and give us your order, along
with your Credit Card information and shipping address. Our
phone number is 413-637-3300. DO NOT SEND CREDIT CARD INFORMATION
OVER THE INTERNET. We have no security programs in place. Or
you can send a check for the correct amount. When your check
clears we will ship your order. Out of state checks will take
7 business days to clear.
We only ship U.P.S. ALL SALES
ARE FINAL. NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGE. If you live in Massachusetts,
you must add 5% Sales Tax to the above amounts.
(pictured together to show size)
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