Such a cute little vintage, ceramic planter/candy dish/match holder or desk caddy. All four sides of the white ceramic have embossed deer - the front and back have three each and the side have one each. There are also a few birds and tufts of grass to complete the design. Bright royal blue paint outlines the top rim and the center of the handle.

The piece is in very good vintage condition. The creamy surfaces have quite a bit of crazing, as to be expected, and there is slight roughness to the touch along the top blue rim. No cracks or chips. There is a dark mark on the center bottom that may be the beginning of a hairline crack. It does not go through to the bottom.

This darling little piece is debossed KKS 347 on the bottom, as well as a small JAPAN stamp.

I believe the subject matter is from the Japanese love for deer in the Nara region. I found a bit of background on them -

Nara's deer are the symbols of the city, and are famous across Japan. Nara Park covers a broad area, and in fact a portion of it is made of by the grounds of Kasuga Taisha Shrine. The deity enshrined therein is Takemi Kajichi no Mikoto, said to have ridden to Nara upon a sacred deer from Kashima Shrine (also written with a character for "deer") in Ibaraki Prefecture. Because of this legend, deer were thought of as sacred animals--the helpers of gods--and have been carefully protected for many years. Even today, Nara's deer are carefully protected as "natural monuments.

Dimensions:

4" long X 3" wide X 3 1/2" tall