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Three Wise Brass Monkeys
and
Four Brass Wise Monkeys
Brassware featuring the three (or four) Wise Monkeys
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When produced in brass it is now normal for the monkeys
to be bald on top. This is not a sign of old age – just a pragmatic way of
fettling the casting. Only the very best models will have had their hair
scribed back in to place by craftsmen. The general rule used to be that, the better detailed the monkeys are,
the older is the product, even though some detail may be lost over the
years through enthusiastic polishing. Now there are better casting
techniques available that give much better detail in most modern versions. The smaller models are frequently solid, larger ones
are cast hollow. It is very rare for makers’ marks to be evident.
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Amongst many variations, some recent productions have a
fourth monkey in the group. This one is called ‘Do no evil’ and is
reported to have been used in support of AIDS awareness campaigns.
The classic Japanese depiction Buddhist Tendai uses
their macaque monkey, also called the Japanese Snow Monkey as the model
for their three wise monkeys. Modern representations may be more
free-lance.
Beware modern highly-detailed monkeys that look too
good. They may be zinc diecastings that have been plated and patinated to
look like brass or bronze. |
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Three Wise Monkeys
are a favourite subject for an ornamental brass paperweight. Their presence
on a desk, window sill, or shelf can give cause for thought as well as
pleasure. They come in several versions and a range of sizes. The popular
image of the three wise monkeys can be taken as the ability of the
disciplined mind to avoid evil. Alternatively, ‘Hear no evil, Speak no
evil, See no evil’ may be said of people who just don't want to be involved. |
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The inspiration for most monkey
groups comes from a carving above the portico of a 17th century temple in
Japan called the Nikko Toshogu Shrine which includes a carving of the three
wise guardian monkeys in a representation of a sacred stable. In Japanese
'don't see, don't hear and don't speak' (loosely known as 'see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil') is translated as 'mizaru,
kikazaru, iwazaru'. The word for monkey 'saru' sounds the same as the
verb-ending 'zaru' (which means 'not') so the origin of these famous monkeys may be a Japanese
play on words. (As additional information, ‘I see nothing, I hear
nothing and I say nothing’ are, in Japanese: ‘mimai, kikumai and hanasumai’) (Ack.: Emil Schuttenhelm) |
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The basic idea of the three
monkeys was introduced to Japan by a Buddhist monk of the Tendai sect from
China, probably in the 8th century A.D. This was probably passing on
knowledge gained from Indian Buddhists. In Japan, the monkeys were at first
always associated with the blue-faced deity Vadjra, a fearsome god with
three eyes and numerous hands. Their characteristic gestures of covering
their ears, eyes and mouths with their paws were a dramatic pictorial way of
conveying the command of the god.
(The symbol of the three monkeys forms part of a "folk
belief/practice" in Japan called "koshin". In the night of "koshin"people
congregated and stayed awake until dawn. They were praying to a god called
Shuomen Kongo, a fearsome creature with usually six arms, similar to the
deity Vadjra known from Indian Buddhism. By staying awake people hoped to
avoid that their bad deeds were reported to the heavenly god. The three
monkeys usually can be seen on paper scrolls that were used in the ceremony,
whereby the role of the monkeys is to be understood as messengers (both
ways). But some temples also show 3-monkey statues and in rural areas in
Japan many "koshin" stones (koshin-do) still can be found . The first record
referring to the koshin belief is by a celebrated Japanese priest called
Ennin, also named Jikasu-daishi. He visited China (Tang Dynasty) and
witnessed "koshin" practice there on November 26, 838. He wrote that he
observed a practice similar to that of Japan.
Ack: Emil Schuttenhelm) |
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The monkeys appear in a wooden
carving at the seventeenth century Toshogu shrine in Nikko, Japan. The
shrine is the mausoleum of the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the three monkeys
are sometime said to be the guardians of the stables. The "three wise monkeys" or three
mystical apes ("sambiki saru") are the attendants of Shuomen Kongo,
sometimes also Sarutahiko
or Koshin. They are (1) Mizaru, covering his eyes, who
sees no evil; (2) Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil; and (3)
Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil. The source that popularized
this pictorial maxim is a carving over a door of the Sacred Stable at the
famous temple in Nikko, Japan (carved in the 17th Century). However, the
maxim probably originally came with Buddhism from India via China in the 8th
Century (associated with Vadjra who taught that if we do not hear, see or
speak evil, then we will be spared evil). The “fourth” ape is a recent
invention and may be seen occasionally in humorous netsuke as “do no evil” (“Shizaru”).
Very occasionally a set may be made with five monkeys. |
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Thanks to Emil Schuttenhelm for very helpful comments.
He has two excellent
websites, one at:
http://www.three-monkeys.info , a very comprehensive
homepage, totally dedicated to collecting the three wise monkeys that hear,
see and speak no evil.
His other homepage which was
made for Japan is also very interesting: http://www.kcn-net.org/koshin/sanen/index.html
Three monkey collectors in Europe and in
the USA meet on a regular basis. These are unique opportunities for No Evils
enthusiasts to meet with fellow collectors and to exchange information and
duplicates. For further details:
http://www.three-monkeys.info/3mmeetings/
The next Collectors meeting in Europe is
planned for Saturday September 29th 2012 in Nieuwe Pekela,
Netherlands. Mark this date now in your
calendar! As soon as more news about this collector’s day is available, it
will be referenced here:
No Evil Monkeys Collectors Day 2012 in Europe
The next
conference in the USA will be from 12th - 15th July 2012 in Chicago, Ill.
http://three-monkeys.info:80/1/COLL/MEETINGS/chicago2012.htm
News from the Three Monkeys World
Also see
http://www.thethreemonkeys.com/
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When made in Brass, the wise monkeys are generally cast to
shape. So far no fabricated monkeys have been found. The
designers have to consider the production method and for most sets have
opted to have their protégés cast in moulds that are split between front and
back sections. The tops of the heads are on the parting line
which has to be smoothed off and often leads to the baldness mentioned
earlier.
There seems
to be freedom of choice of the order in which they are positioned. For
this page they are grouped into common order, described from left to right,
and then classified by height.
The Gibraltar macaques are the only monkeys that live
freely in Europe and are of the same family as the Japanese macaques.
Since they are such a strong symbol and tourist attraction there are many
souvenirs on sale. Generally they are similar to others but may have
'Gibraltar' incised or printed.
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See - Speak - Hear No Evil
This series of sizes are all modelled sitting closely together which makes
casting the metal much easier. It is understood that the patterns for
the models are often made of lead and that as these wear, so the detail
shown in the castings diminishes. These range in width from 33 to 95mm
(1¼" - 3¾"). |
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Speak - See - Hear
No Evil The largest of these has been given a
bronze patina. It is 3" (75mm) wide.
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Shown in
their catalogue of products in 1932, Pearson Page Jewsbury Co.
Ltd. listed the three monkeys in a variety of sizes from 1¼"
to 2⅞" (31-73mm) in width.
The smaller models were cast solid and the larger size was also available as
a cheaper hollow casting. The wholesale prices ranged from 7/-
(shillings) per dozen upwards.
(20/- = £1 in old money and at that time there were US$4 to the £). |
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Hear - See - Speak No Evil
These are all modelled with just elbows and knees touching.
The central ones are not just intelligent looking ornaments - they act as a
handle to a useful ruler/straightedge/paperweight. |
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These all look much the
same at about 55mm (2") high but there are differences. Obviously the
sharpness of the casting varies from one to another. The three on the
right are all hollow and weigh about 200g (7oz). The one top right is
hollow but thick walled and weighs 274g (9.7oz) and the bottom right one is
a solid heavyweight of 434g (15.3oz). Around 1933 they were in the
Pearson-Page-Jewsbury, Birmingham, catalogue as features on bookends. |
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Speak - Hear - See no Evil
This is a less common grouping so has been augmented by two
sets that are freestanding and can be placed in any order. On the left
at the back are a set of candlesticks with wise monkey bases. The set
on the right are on a stand that is 215mm (8½
") wide.
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This 5" (125mm) wide
tray was in the Peerage catalogues during the 1930s and again in the 1950s
as No 19497 priced at 16/- per dozen wholesale. |
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Four Wise Monkeys
The order of the first three monkeys varies but 'Do No
Evil' is always on the right. |
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Toasting Fork, Horse Brass, Shoe Horn and Knocker
All based on the same arrangement
surrounded by the legend: 'See, Hear, Speak No Evil'. |
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Bell, Tea Caddy
Spoon and Paper Knife The bell and
spoon are by 'Peerage' (Pearson Page Jewsbury post 1946), the paper knife is from Turkey. |
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Door Knockers and a
Coat Hook Two Peerage bedroom door knockers
from the early 1930s and a triple hook, all based on a 'Speak-See-Hear No
Evil' model with 'Three Wise Monkeys' on the flat bar and the top banner
bearing the legend 'Speak no evil, See no evil, Hear no evil'.
The centre knocker bears the Design Registration number 723111 of 1926. |
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Neither Brass
nor Copper
These might make a monkey out of the brass
buyer. The one on the right is copper plated plastic, the others are
plated zinc diecastings. They are lighter in weight than brass
castings and a scratch test on the underside shows white metal.
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In
better detail , this shows the characters in the bottom left of the photo
above. Their attitudes are unconventional. |
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Here are three
illustrations of a set of three monkeys owned by Emil Schuttenhelm.
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They were made
in Japan and bought through an auction house in New York. |
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The detailing
shows great attention to finishing given by the craftsmen. (Photos by
Emil Schuttenhelm). |
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An
unusual set where the central monkey is standing.
http://www.three-monkeys.info/1/blogeng.htm |
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