Lot of 5 Vintage Japanese Kokeshi dolls – Unzen

Hello everyone, I’m offering this interesting lot of 5 old Japanese kokeshi dolls, very different in style and origin, including traditional, artistic, and souvenir pieces linked to important locations in Japan. A group that is particularly interesting for the presence of signatures, inscriptions, geographical references, and a dating to 1929. The largest, 36 cm tall and weighing 1,135 g, comes from Unzen Onsen, Nagasaki. On the body are the inscriptions 雲仙 (Unzen) and お糸地獄 (Oito Jigoku), referring to the famous geotherm site of Unzen and to the local legend of Oito. The workmanship is very distinctive, preserving part of the natural wood bark, combined with painted decoration. It shows evident cracks, clearly visible in the photos and to be considered part of the condition of the object. The second, 30 cm tall and 400 g, is a traditional kokeshi of the Togatta school, in Miyagi Prefecture, attributed to master Takao (隆雄) and signed at the base. It features the characteristic vertical red floral decoration and the typical elements of Togatta tradition. Particularly interesting is the 27 cm, 370 g example tied to the Hokuriku region. On the bottom is the inscription 北陸旅行 (Hokuriku Ryokō – “Trip to Hokuriku”) together with the date 4.9.8, corresponding to September 8, 1929 (Shōwa 4). The body is entirely enriched with calligraphy and a evocatively hand-painted landscape. The darkest kokeshi, 15 cm tall and 99.8 g, is a Sōsaku Kokeshi attributed to Noji (野地 作). On the body two small sparrows are depicted among the vegetation. It is the piece showing the most wear and signs of time, clearly documented in the photos. Completing the group is a 15 cm, 84.4 g kokeshi-souvenir from Mount Koya (Koyasan), Wakayama, with inscriptions referring to the famous sacred site and to Suginoya, as well as the small gold sticker still present on the body. The lot is vintage/antique and shows wear, patina, abrasions, color losses, marks and cracks compatible with age and use. In particular, the largest kokeshi shows clearly visible cracks, and the 15 cm dark one shows more pronounced wear. All the pros and flaws have been photographed as clearly as possible: the photographs are an integral part of the description, and I invite you to view them carefully before purchase. Careful and professional shipping, with packaging appropriate to the nature and weight of the objects. Combined shipping is available where possible. — Nostalgia Wave Store

Estimate:$33.6

View all items fromCatawikiorAncient Art