Vintage Three Wise Monkeys Ceramic Figurine — Field Find

The Find
Found among a collection of mid-century decorative objects, this Three Wise Monkeys figurine is a compact, well-worn rendering of one of the world's most enduring moral symbols — see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil — finished in a warm wood-tone ceramic that gives it the look of something carved rather than cast.

What We Know
Subject: Three Wise Monkeys (Mizaru, Kikazaru, Iwazaru)
Material: Ceramic or chalkware with wood-tone finish
Style: Mid-century decorative figurine
Condition: Light wear consistent with age; structurally intact
Weight: [WEIGHT]
Dimensions: [DIMENSIONS]

The Story
The Three Wise Monkeys — Mizaru (see no evil), Kikazaru (hear no evil), and Iwazaru (speak no evil) — originate from a 17th-century carving at the Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Japan, though the principle they embody is far older, appearing across Buddhist, Hindu, and Confucian traditions. By the mid-20th century, the image had traveled the world and become a fixture of decorative folk art — rendered in ceramic, wood, brass, and chalkware, placed on mantels and desks as a quiet reminder of discretion and moral clarity. This example carries that history lightly, its wood-tone finish giving it a grounded, tactile presence.

Why We Chose It
The Three Wise Monkeys is one of those images that never quite goes out of style — too old to be trendy, too resonant to be dismissed. This figurine is small enough to live anywhere and meaningful enough to earn its place.

About This Piece
One-of-a-kind field find offered in as-found condition. Light wear consistent with age. Sold as a decorative and collector's piece.