Namiki Yukari Royale Frog

Namiki Yukari Royale Frog

Yukari Royale Collection "FROG"
Behind these three graceful auspicious frogs is hidden a nice, deeper theme about passing time, evolution, return, rebirth...

Namiki Frog - Meaning of the design:
Each year, after hibernating, the frog has the peculiarity to go back to the pond of its birth, whatever the distance, for reproduction.
Its name in Japanese (kaeru) is pronounced the same way as the word, which means return.
This characteristic has made it a protective animal for travelers (often as protective amulets) and the symbol of hospitality. Symbol of fertility, because it lays numerous eggs in one go, the frog is also the one of happy returns of any kind, chance, age, happiness, money, etc. It is also thought to give the power of attracting wealth (it was the emblem of the tax collectors in feudal times!).
At last, it represents resurrection and metamorphosis, the perpetual transformation of man.

Namiki Frog - Used Techniques
The three golden frogs, treated in relief by the Taka-Maki-e technique, are skillfully enhanced by the colors and texture of the water surface crafted  by Togidashi Maki-e, Raden (mother-of- pearl) and Kawari-nuri techniques.
To illustrate the passing of time, five plants blooming at different seasons are interpreted in Taka-Maki-e, while the flowers of one of them ow their brilliance to the Rankaku (inlaid eggshells) technique.

Artist: Yumi Hamashi
Model: Yukari Royale
Nib: 18K