Definitions and significance of items Maneki Nekos are often posed with or holding.
	Brinjal is a purple radish frequently used in stir fries and other meals. It has decorated several Maneki Neko figurines, though it is still fairly unusual. It is a fairly obscure symbol signifying good fortune, plenty and bountiful .
	Daruma is the Japanese name for Bodhidharma, who transmitted Zen Buddhism to China from India. It’s said that he sat in meditation so long that he lost the use of his legs. Daruma have only white eyes when purchased. One fills in the first eye when a resolution or wish is made, and paints in the second eye when the goal is achieved. The Daruma Doll or Wishing Doll is said to have the ability to make wishes come true.
	Koban is a gold coin common in the Edo period or Japan. The denomination of Koban was worth one ryo (think of one ryo of equivalent to roughly one thousand dollars), an early Japanese monetary unit. Most Koban being held by Maneki Neko in modern days, depicts ten million ryo, which is representative of a considerable fortune, financial prosperity, as well as an easy life.
	Fish especially the carp, symbolises strength, courage and determination, associated with the will and strength required to swim upstream. The fish in the paws of Maneki Neko figurines may also symbolise abundance and good fortune, because what could a lucky cat possibly be more than happy other than to have a big, fresh, delicious fish !
	Hyotan is a hollowed out dried Gourd in which Sake (Rice Wine) and other beverages were traditionally kept. Fukurokuju the god of wisdom and longeivity, is one of the seven lucky gods of Japan. He is frequently posed with a hyotan drinking vessel, which may have led to their being associated with luck. Gourds in general are also considered to ward of evils and bring good luck, which may contribute to Hyotan appearng in the paws of Maneki Neko.
	Uchide Nokozuchi otherwise known as a magic Money Mallet, is a lucky charm that is thought to protect and shield and bring wealth to one who shakes it. It is usually seen in the hand of Daikoku Mantra, the god of wealth and farmers, who was fortunate enough to have coins fall out of his magic money mallet, every time he shook it, but some Maneki Neko figurines were luck enough to get one on their paws too !
	Money Bag obviously a bag filled with lots of money, symbolising overwhelming of wealth .
	Mount Fuji symbolises family reunion and support from people around us in time of crisis.
	Tortoise symbolises longevity and healthy.
	Prosperity Fan symbolises business or career overwhelming.
	Bamboo Shoot symbolises ever-growing and sprouting in business, career or education.
	Red-Crowned Crane symbolises pink of health.
	Flower Petal symbolises good affinity and concrete relationship among people.
	Treasure Boat symbolises smooth sailing in business, career, love or education.
	Crystal ball, gem or a marble can often be found in the paws of more modern Maneki Nekos. it is indicating wealth (in the form of a valuable gem), wisdom (in the form of a crystal ball used by psychics and mystics)
	Drum symbolises overwhelming of customers flood the shop.
	Book & Pen symbolises guardian watching over one’s education and academic improvements.
	Peach symbolises one’s achievement in career and love.
	Eagle is an auspicious symbolism, so called-the fortune bird or night guidance to ward of evils and watching over one’s studies and wisdom.
	As word of the events spread, people began placing figures of Cats sitting infront of the windows and entrances of Asian shops, restaurants, homes, temples, casino or offices, believing it would bring in some kind of prosperity into their own lives.

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At the begining of the Edo period, on the place where today is located the Gotokuji Temple, it was a small temple where a very poor monk lived, accompanied only by his cat, named Tama.

After the cat died, it was buried in the Temple’s cemetery and the Maneki Neko sculptures were made to honor the magical cat. The Temple is located in Setagaya-ku

The legend of Maneki Neko is a reflection of the popularity and importance the cat has played in the history of Japan.

“During the sixth century in Japan the emperor made his cat a noble. In this period there was a strong association with the nobility and the cat, said Dr. Roger Tabor, cat biologist and author of  The Rise of the Cat and 100 Ways to Understand Your Cat.”

The average person in Japan did not own cats. “The nobles had their cats on leashes in the Heian period,” continued Dr. Tabor. Cats were kept in the nobles’ palaces at this time and not allowed to run free. “In 1603 the Shogun took over in Japan and part of what he did was to take away the symbols of the aristocracy such as the cat. Only aristocrats could have cats before them,” said Dr. Tabor. After this time cats became accessible to the general public.

“At around the same time in 1602, a disaster hit the Japanese economy, which had been built up around the aristocracy who had a huge appetite for silk robes. The silk robes were made by the silk worm which had been hit by an epidemic of rats and so part of an imperial decree was that all the cats had to be set free,” said Dr. Tabor. This was done,  so the cats could kill the rats and save the silk worms which were so important to the Japanese economy. Today, cats are extremely popular pets in Japan.

Maneki Neko really represents all our pet cats. As every cat owner knows, their cat beckoned them to take them home and has brought them the good luck and fortune by providing them with love and companionship.

Today, Cats are extremely popular pets not only in Japan, around the world and throughout time. Nothing demonstrates this better than, when the cat becomes part of a country’s culture, history and mythology.

Maneki Neko, the beckoning cat of  Japan, which brings good luck and fortune is a perfect example of this.

Often seen in stores and businesses particularly around the front desk or cash register, the Maneki Neko is a very popular lucky charm. This feline figure is said to call in good luck and good fortune.

He typically holds a gold coin or ingot in one hand while beckoning customers into the establishment with the other hand. He has several names: Maneki Neko, The Lucky Cat, The Money Calling Cat, The Beckoning Cat, Money Cat, Fortune Cat.

Legends

Maneki Neko is the subject of a number of legends. Here are three of the most popular, explaining the cat’s origins:

The Temple Cat: This story goes that a wealthy feudal lord was taking shelter under a tree near Gotoku-ji temple (in Western Tokyo) during a thunderstorm. The lord saw the temple priest’s cat beckoning to him and followed; a moment later the tree was struck by lightning. The wealthy man became friends with the poor priest and the temple became prosperous. When the cat died, supposedly the first Maneki Neko was made in his honor.

The Courtesan: A courtesan named Usugumo, living in Yoshiwara, in eastern Tokyo, kept a cat, much beloved by her. One night, the cat began tugging at her kimono. No matter what she did, the cat persisted. The owner of the brothel saw this, and believing the cat bewitched, cut its head off. The cat’s head then flew to the ceiling where it killed a snake, ready at any moment to strike. Usugumo was devastated by the death of her companion. To cheer her up, one of her customers made her a wooden likeness of her cat as a gift. This cat image then became popular as the Maneki Neko.

The Old Woman: An old woman living in Imado (eastern Tokyo) was forced to sell her cat due to extreme poverty. Soon afterwards the cat appeared to her in a dream. The cat told her to make its image in clay. She did as instructed, and soon afterward sold the statue. She then made more, and people bought them as well. They were so popular she soon became prosperous and wealthy.

They are made to believe that what they got was genuine and rare, yet upon verification what they get instead are poor imitations. This is a serious issue and this should not happen to you. In order for you to avoid the usual pitfalls of these collectors, it is recommended that you follow some of the tips below in buying and collecting porcelain pieces.

• When shopping for porcelain pieces, you need to take note of the other product lines of the sellers. Is he selling all genuine pieces, or are there other fake items in the listing? If there are some fake items, then be careful since what you are aiming at could be just a reproduction. Reproduction is an important word in the business. This is not an antique, yet it cannot be considered as fake as well. You will know that you are at the receiving end of a fake one if the seller tries to pass the porcelain as a genuine antique. There is deception here since it’s his intent to pass it up as antique.

• You need to remember two things if you can notice that there are a lot of antique reproductions in the seller’s display area. One, it could be that the seller has no knowledge in determining which one is the newly crafted and the antique. And secondly, it could be that the seller is not saying the truth and you have to be wary of this.

There are some tricks and tips that you should know too when dealing with an experienced seller porcelain antiques. One thing that doesn’t fail is to ask and to probe. Sometimes these sellers will just tell you that the Chinese porcelain pieces are antique, and it’s because the previous seller told them so! Also it is best if they have some rules on returning a product just in case you found out in the end that the porcelain is not genuine.

If the seller has no return policy and will not accept returns even though the article is not genuine, then there’s a high chance that even at the start the seller thinks that the article that he is selling is not an antique at all!

And finally, reconsider anything related to provenance. If the seller says something about this, then probably it’s not true. Remember that antique Chinese porcelain pieces are priced well in the market, so it can be expected that sellers will always do their best in order to make a tidy profit in the market. So don’t fall into their traps; make sure that you know how to locate these prized porcelain pieces.

The best age to start in developing your child’s love for porcelain dolls is at 2 years old. Just keep in mind that you should not allow your child to handle the porcelain dolls for long periods of time. For now, settle with showing the dolls to your child and explaining the reasons why you picked the particular model for each one. It’s recommended that you tell your child some stories and use the dolls as the characters. This way, the child can get a kick out of them. You have to be extra creative to maintain your child’s interest in the hobby at least until he or she reaches the age of 7; by then, it’s perfectly all right to allow the child to handle the dolls.

It’s also important that you uphold the virtue of cleanliness to a child as he or she grows up. This can be done by showing them that you make it a point to wash your hands before handling the porcelain dolls and then asking them to do the same thing. Showcase to them the proper way of handling the dolls so that they’ll develop the skill as they grow up.

It’s recommended that you choose the cheaper models for your child at first, and give them the impression that the quality of the dolls they acquire are in accordance with his or her age. This way, a cumulative association is formed in each of the child’s succeeding years, helping the child identify better the value of each porcelain doll that he or she comes across.

But of course, once your children are old enough, it will be up to them which types of porcelain dolls to choose for themselves. Go with them to a porcelain doll store that has a lot of choices. This should ensure that a large part of their aesthetic dimensions is tapped into. An e-shop for porcelain dolls can also be of big help since the Internet gives your children the opportunity to sort through a wide range of models without the risk of accidentally breaking them.

Children can develop a keen eye for detail if he really gets into the hobby. As such, their minds can be more capable of analytical thinking due to the processing of information that comes about in the appraisal of each porcelain doll that they see.

And most important of all, you get to create a bond with your children while sharing the hobby with them. This just proves that the benefits of porcelain doll collecting to children far extend from the ones that involve their brain development.

The antique porcelain is basically held to be important because of its artistic and historical values. Because they usually come in expensive prices, they deserve to be well taken care of. Culturally speaking, these antique pieces are very significant. But then again human negligence along with a couple of natural disasters or accidents can cause them to get stained or worse, damaged.

Because collecting them is such a popular hobby, it matters that you know of the tips on how to make them last longer. When properly done, you can expect them to last longer that you can even pass them on to your next generation of kin.

The first rule in cleaning your antique porcelain is to never put it in a dishwasher. Sometimes you get so tied up with another task that you want the cleaning procedure to be immediately done. But if you have antique porcelain plates, the dishwasher can just damage them. You see, its temperature can get too hot and the prolonged exposure of your antique pieces to this kind of environment can wear them down and cause them to crack. Also, fragile pieces are more prone to chipping and cracking especially when they get all tossed around during the wash cycle.

Therefore, wash you antique plates by hand and use only warm water and mild detergent cleaner. Hot water and a very strong detergent can destroy the patterns. Avoid using anything abrasive. Use only a soft cloth. For heavy scrubbing, use the baking soda.

Never rub the stains. Instead, create a solution of 1 part water and 2 parts peroxide. Use a q-tip to dab the solution.

Professional Porcelain Restoration

Alright, so, if you want things done by a professional, you will be happy to note that there are actually shops that do this. Professional porcelain restoration is a course training that is offered in colleges and universities to train students in ceramic and porcelain restoration. The students are awarded certificates and diplomas and you can trust them to have the ample knowledge on restoring different materials aside from porcelain such as the majolica, ceramic, earthenware, terra cotta, plaster, and clay.

Anyhow, you can always find a shop that specializes in the restoration procedures that are definitely safe and worth applying to your antique porcelain collections. These professionals should be informed of the historical period of the item to be restored so as to be able to retain the surface and color patterns.

So what can be done so that you will not left out and to avoid being given the wrong porcelain? One important that you should acquire is the skill that can help you tell the age characteristics of porcelain.

The recognizable age signs of the porcelain will tell you if the product that is given to you is the real one, or something that has just been manufactured last year! one thing to remember first; take note that even the age signs can be faked as well so make sure that you are prepared the right way.

In noting the age of these products there are two basic rules that can be considered. One is that if the piece has no visible age signs, then you can take that piece as newly made. And second, if the piece is full of age signs and telling you to look at it as an antique then better reconsider as the piece may not be antique at all. Other than these, there are signs that you should know that can help you in your assessment. Here are those age signs worth noting:

• Check the discoloration on the piece. Pieces with glaze and decorations will not get discolored, except for articles that are in display for a long period of time.

• Another age sign is the crackle, and the discolored crackles that can be seen on porcelain pieces are indicative of the old age of the products. Just be careful in assessing these products with crackles since this sign can be faked too. What you can do when shopping is to check the authenticity of the crackles on the porcelain.

• Rust spots can be considered too as a sign of age. Rust spots are often small in porcelain and these are formed as a result of the movement of the iron residue into the surface.

• Glaze contractions can be used as signs for age or the authenticity of the porcelain pieces.  For genuine pieces with glazed contractions, these contractions are made due to the kiln conditions during the time of production- could even be a century ago. But again this is not a reliable indication for the age, so make sure that you use this in determining the kiln conditions and during that time and not necessarily the age. You’ll these as the small spots with holes or recesses.

The ones discussed can be used in telling the authenticity of porcelain pieces. The best way is to make use of a combination of these signs when assessing products to determine best which porcelain products are genuine or not- and to check if they are antique or not.

Dolls are definitely not just for children. Grown-ups also have this fascination towards porcelain dolls because having these dolls transport us back to their childhood – back when everything seems to be a lot less complicated. Seeing these dolls displayed in our homes would definitely bring back the genuine smiles that we once had when we were still young.

If this fascination towards porcelain dolls is just starting to brew inside of you, then why not start having a porcelain doll collection? You can use the tips below when you start shopping for these porcelain dolls.

1.Know what type of dolls to collect

Before you start buying porcelain dolls, you must know first what type of dolls to collect. Do you want to be a hard-core collector and have those vintage, antique dolls in your fold? Or do you simply want to collect these dolls so that you can put them up as home decorations?

There are a lot of porcelain dolls that are very popular among collectors. These include Victorian dolls, fairy dolls, oriental dolls and even baby dolls! Whatever type of porcelain doll you would wish to collect; there are certainly a lot of them that you can find.

2. Do your research

After knowing what type of doll you will collect, you have to learn some things about these dolls. It is essential to know what constitutes a quality porcelain doll so that your precious money will not come to waste. If you intend to collect antique and limited edition porcelain dolls, you should know where the reputable antique shops are located so that what you’d buy are truly antique.

Again, if you just want to collect these dolls to decorate your home, some little flaws can be disregarded, but serious collectors certainly must be more aware of buying a genuine antique doll.

3.Consult with the experts

Talk with the people who are experts in the field of antique doll collecting on how you can start with your collection and make it grow in the future. For instance, one mistake that a new antique doll collector often commits is having an interest in restoring a vintage porcelain doll. Sure, these dolls already have some signs of wear and tear, but these scratches are what make them valuable as time progresses. You should hold your horses first and disregard any thought of doll restoration. Seek advice from the experts first before making any alteration.

4. Go to auction sites online

The Internet is one place where you can get loads of information on collecting porcelain dolls. Go to popular auction sites such as Ebay to find out what porcelain dolls are popular among collectors. You can do some canvassing already by comparing the prices of every doll.

Porcelain, which is also called china or bone china, is very different from pottery, also known as earthenware. Pottery is made from clay with very coarse grains and pottery products are usually fired in a kiln at a lower temperature than that of porcelain.

Pottery is always opaque without even a hint of light coming through it, unlike some versions of porcelain, which have varying degrees of translucency. Pottery is less costly to make than porcelain. Also, firing pottery at a lower temperature does not create the same density as that achieved with porcelain, making pottery not quite as strong.

Porcelain on the other hand is made from fine-grained white clay called kaolin to which other ingredients are added, such as feldspar or fine bone ash. When holding a piece of porcelain you should be able to see some light coming through the piece. If you hold a piece of thin “eggshell” porcelain up to the light you will actually be able to see your fingers through it.

Being thinner, yet stronger and more durable, porcelain is always the material of choice for fine work, such as delicate teacups or trinket trays. It is surprising that a small and dainty piece of porcelain is inherently stronger than a larger and thicker piece of pottery, such as a mixing bowl.

This phenomenon is somewhat explained by the fact that there are more air bubbles in pottery and the fusion of the larger particles are not as strong or as dense as they are with porcelain.

Unlike pottery, there are three main types of porcelain:

Hard-paste: Developed in China around the time of the Tang Dynasty 618-907, hard-paste porcelain is the original form. Porcelain with a similar formula is still being made today, although there have been some changes made to the ingredients in an effort to better control the integrity of the pieces being made while they are in the kiln.

Soft-paste: This is the European version of porcelain that was developed around the early 1700s. Unable to duplicate the hard-paste porcelain made by China, some countries in Europe finally developed a version that produced the desired effect they wanted so they settled on soft-paste porcelain as their mainstay. Chinese porcelain had been highly sought after by the Europeans for years but it was too costly for the general population. The Chinese porcelain that was imported to Europe resided only with the wealthy. Today European porcelain is extremely desirable and is in demand everywhere.

Bone China: England was the first to develop bone china around 1750 and it was Josiah Spode who was credited with the discovery. England was and still is the major distributor of fine bone china all over the globe.

The actual “paste” is the material that is used to form the body of a piece of porcelain. The main differences between hard-paste, soft-paste and bone china are variations in the ingredients, as well as the firing temperatures and the firing times that are used when pieces are placed in a kiln.

Technically porcelain wares do not require a glaze to enable them to hold liquids. Porcelain glaze is mainly used to prevent staining and to compliment the decorating process. This is the complete opposite of pottery and earthenware. Earthenware requires a glaze if it is to be used to hold or carry liquids of any kind.

Glaze is a coating that once applied will fuse itself to porcelain when it is fired in a kiln. There are different types of glazes and different glaze finishes. The finishes include gloss which is shiny and matte which is dull. Some of the various glazes used over the years have included lead, tin, salt and crackle. Crackle glaze happens when the porcelain and the glaze shrink at different rates while the pieces are cooling off from their time in a kiln. Depending on the particular piece of porcelain, a crackle glaze could have either a negative effect or a positive effect. Crackle glaze pieces can be highly collectible.

Decorative designs as well as a company’s mark or backstamp can appear either under the glaze or over the glaze. These will usually always appear under the glaze on older pieces.

Choosing to collect porcelain pieces or pottery pieces is strictly a matter of taste. Some people are drawn to delicate eggshell porcelain. It is so fine and translucent one can’t help but fear that a light tap against the kitchen faucet will break it. Other people gravitate toward the bulkier and more rugged looking pottery pieces such as large vases, console bowls and candle holders. Just remember if you decide to collect the bigger pieces of pottery instead of the more dainty pieces of porcelain, it is the rugged looking stuff that you have to keep away from the kitchen faucet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Benedetto

Figurines were used for a variety of purposes. While some were used to serve as deities in religious and ceremonial occasions, some of the figurines depict special purposes. This means that a woman gifted with figurine of “pregnant Venus” implied wishing successful fertility. Since figurines are mainly female figures, so they make great gifts in wedding and other rituals. The figurines are also meant to amuse children who spend their time playing with them. Some of the figurines also serve as jewelry for women.

Different Faces of Modern Figurines
In the present day art form, copper, glass, plastic, wood and even rubber are used in making figurines. In the recent history, figurines are adopted for playing board games such as chess. Players use differently colored figurines while playing the war game as in chess. Each piece in the game is a figurative replica of its live model.

Today, figurines made of plastic and porcelain are popular for their adoptability to molding easily than stone which needs to be carved as the only form of making them and glass, although is best suited for molding, is rather used in making transparent figurines.

Unlike the ancient times you can find figurines of all types and subjects to suit your needs and the ambience of your home and offices. It may not surprise you to find figurines made especially for occasions like for example, the Valentine’s Day or the Christmas Day. The most attractive and much in demand figurines belong to wildlife and floral designs.

Figurine Collecting Hobby
Internet has made life simpler for figurine collectors. Locating an interesting figurine over the net has a second advantage that you can purchase online. You can find specialist shops for themed figurines like Hummels, a very popular one whose value has always appreciated.

Normally Curio cabinets made of wood and glass are used for showcasing figurines, otherwise depending on your home’s décor and size of the figurines they can be displayed on table tops and corner tables too.

If it was a mixed feeling of awe and respect in addition to artistic inclination that gave birth to figurines but what takes it to a higher plane of merchandising is the awareness created by the Internet era.