1950s Japanese Kokeshi Doll

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Japanese Kokeshi doll featuring a painted face, black and red hair accents, and a cylindrical wooden body decorated with a … Read more Japanese Kokeshi doll featuring a painted face, black and red hair accents, and a cylindrical wooden body decorated with a red and green leaf or floral pattern. Kokeshi are traditional, handmade Japanese wooden dolls. They are instantly recognizable by their simple design featuring a cylindrical, limbless body and an enlarged round head. Originating over 150 to 200 years ago in the rugged, mountainous Tōhoku region of northern Japan, these figures have evolved from rustic hot spring souvenirs into universally cherished symbols of folk art and protection. The inscription on the body of this traditional Japanese Kokeshi doll reads:
仙台市長 島野武 (Sendai Shichō, Shimano Takeshi) meaning it was a gift to the Mayor of Sendai City, a highly influential, long serving politician who served as the Mayor of Sendai from 1958-1984. See less