Antique Japanese Handcarved Inkan Marble Name Stamp With Shishi Foo Dog & Name

This is an antique Japanese late Meiji Era (c. 1910) marble or hard igneous stone name stamp known as an inkan. In Japan and China one does not sign, but rather stamp ones name with a chop or inkan like this one. This inkan has a hand carved foo-dog on top with a name carved on its flat bottom. The foo-dog carving is very well done (see close-up pictures).

The foo-dog was a mythological creature, half dog and half lion, with the spunk of both. It was a friend of mankind and guardian of the spirit world.

This over a half century old inkan stamp measures 3 1/4" tall by 1 1/4" square (8.5 x 3 cm). Despite some minor signs of use, this stamp remains in excellent condition.