This is a vintage Japan set of 6 dogs. At one time three of them were held together with chains, but the chains are no longer attached. The other puppies are either extras that were added over the years that matched in with the set or part of the set that were not on chains. The mother dog is just over 2 ½ inches tall and 2 ½ inches long. She has white fur with large black spots that have salmon colored smaller spots throughout (the salmon spots are not missing paint). The tiniest puppies are crudely made compared to the large dog. The littlest one is ¾ of an inch tall and 1 ½ inch long. The mother dog and the puppies are signed on the back with an impressed JAPAN, one puppy is not signed (see photo of the backs). I believe these are from the 1940s to 1950s. I'm not sure of the breed, except that they are most likely Terriers.

These are in very good vintage condition, no cracks or chips. They were hand painted and some of the black paint has worn off (see enlarged photographs for details). They still are charming and could easily be touched up with a little bit of black paint.

The adorable little dogs would make a perfect addition to your collection of vintage Japanese figurines. The littlest puppies would be perfect of a doll house. This would be a fun thank you for your veterinarian or a nice little surprise gift for your favorite dog breeder.

For more information about me and booth policies, click on Starfisher's Stars at the top of this page, it will take you to the main page of my booth. Thanks for visiting!

Please follow me on Pinterest at Starfisher3