Neko Maneki Necklace, Lucky Fortune Cat Charm Pendant pick 16-36" chain Gift

Description: For males or females INCLUDES Pendant and snake chain necklace in a USA-made jewelry gift box. You can also purchase just the pendant alone to use on your own cord or chain (select 0"). MEASUREMENTS The pendant is about .906" tall x .433" across x .157" thick (23mm x 11mm x 4mm) The necklace chain is offered in your choice of length from 16" to 50" (40cm to 127cm) MATERIALS The pendant is an antiqued silver zinc alloy casting. The necklace chain and all its components are made of pure 304 Stainless steel. Stainless steel is non-tarnishing, hypo-allergenic, shiny, strong and durable. You can sleep, swim or shower in it! ABOUT The maneki-neko (Japanese, literally "beckoning cat") is a common Japanese figurine (lucky charm, talisman) which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner. The figurine depicts a cat (traditionally a calico Japanese Bobtail) beckoning with an upright paw, and is usually displayed in—often at the entrance of shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, and other businesses. Some of the sculptures are electric or battery-powered and have a slow-moving paw beckoning. The maneki-neko is sometimes also called the welcoming cat, lucky cat, money cat, happy cat, beckoning cat, or fortune cat in English. To some Westerners (Italians and Spaniards are notable exceptions) it may seem as if the maneki-neko is waving rather than beckoning. This is due to the difference in gestures and body language recognized by some Westerners and the Japanese. The Japanese beckoning gesture is made by holding up the hand, palm down, and repeatedly folding the fingers down and back, thus the cat's appearance. Some maneki-neko made specifically for some Western markets will have the cat's paw facing upwards, in a beckoning gesture that is more familiar to most Westerners. Maneki-neko can be found with either the right or left paw raised (and sometimes both). The significance of the right and left raised paw differs with time and place. A common belief is that the raised left paw brings in customers, while a right paw brings good luck and wealth, although some believe the opposite, or that one paw is for luck and the other for wealth. Another interpretation says that a raised left paw attracts money, while a raised right paw protects it. Still others say that a left paw raised is best for drinking establishments, the right paw for other stores (those who hold their liquor well are called "left-handed" (hidari-kiki) in Japanese). Yet another interpretation is that right is for home and left for business. It is commonly believed the higher the raised paw, the greater the luck. Consequently, over the years maneki-neko's paw has tended to appear ever higher. Some use the paw height as a crude method of gauging the relative age of a figure. Another common belief is that the higher the paw, the greater the distance good fortune will come from. Maneki-neko usually have some sort of decoration around their neck. This can be a neckerchief or a scarf but the most common attire is a collar, bell and decorative bib. These items are most likely in imitation of what was common attire for cats in wealthy households during the Edo period. Red collars made from a red flower, the hichirimen, were popular and small bells were attached for decoration and to keep track of the cat's whereabouts. The bib might also be related to the bibs that often decorate statues of the Buddhist divinity called Jizo Bosatsu in Japan. Protective statues of Jizo can be found guarding the entrances to Japanese shrines and graveyards. Jizo is the protector of sick and dying children, and grateful parents of children that have recovered from illness will place a bib around Jizo as a gift of gratitude. Maneki-neko are sometimes depicted holding a coin. In Japanese, the idiom 'koban to cats' is a traditional saying equivalent to the Western 'pearls before swine'. The coin ties into the cat's part in bringing good fortune and wealth.

Price: 12 USD

Location: Lubbock, Texas

End Time: 2024-01-05T18:59:24.000Z

Shipping Cost: 3.99 USD