For sale is a vintage set of five traditional Japanese wooden ‘Naruko’ and ‘Togatta’ style “Kokeshi” dolls, dating from circa the mid-20th century.
Consisting of five different-sized, unique hand-painted dolls, some hand-signed and inscribed and ranging in size from 27cm to 49cm, the set is in fair vintage condition with patina, wear, discolouration and moisture marks consistent with age & use.
Kokeshi are wooden dolls that originate from the Tōhoku region of north-eastern Japan and which emerged as a folk craft from hot spring mountain villages at the end of the Edo period (1603-1868 CE). There are 12 styles of doll across the region, each hailing from a different hot spring (onsen) town or area, and differentiated by head and body shape, facial features, colour and decoration, of which these are of the “Naruko” and “Togatta” types.
The dolls are believed to have originally been made for children but also came to be produced as souvenirs and mementoes for special occasions/achievements such as graduations. Each area in the Tōhoku region had its own local name to describe the wooden dolls they made. However, this had the potential to confuse collectors, so, in the 1940s, makers agreed to use one standard name: ‘kokeshi’.
As a general rule, the grouping of Kokeshi in odd numbers, such as three, five, seven and nine is considered as traditional.
Doll 1: 49cm tall / Doll 2: 46.5cm tall / Doll 3: 37cm tall / Doll 4: 34cm tall / Doll 5: 27cm tall
Please click here to make an enquiry.
