A very unusually shaped Japanese hearth hook, jizai, of keyaki (zelkova) wood. The jizai in the form of a fundo, a traditional waisted weight associated with the gold trade. The hook would have originally hung from a ceiling beam over the sunken hearth, irori, for suspension of a kettle or pot above the fire. Its placement above the hearth, the center of the home, and its association with gold and thus prosperity was thought to bring the home good fortune and prosperity. The hook with fine color and areas of patina from exposure to smoke. With suspension pegs. 19th century 20 ½” high x 14 ¼” wide x 6” deep
