Vintage Japanese Sosaku Kokeshi entitled: Bunko | Elegance by Aida, Seihou
Dimensions: 11-3/4"h
This is an exceptional one-off kokeshi and is again made from the Pagoda tree, (Enju), and is simply ornamented using a wheat motif; as well as hair in silver, subtly contrasting to the dark wood. She has a traditional hair treatment with a “Mage”, which is a type of bun in which the hair is wrapped in a complex circular coil to further define the head. The face and eyes are looking down. She has a tiny red dot for a nose. Her Obi is of lighter wood and is given a deep relief to accentuate the figure. The artist's stamp is lightly affixed to the bottom of the doll.
Vintage Condition: Pristine, excellent condition affording the doll age-old elegance. Retains the original craft/workmanship showing a wonderfully-developed patina commensurate with age and unrestored. A very rare piece meeting all the standards of Sosaku Kokeshi collectibles.
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Artisan | Woodworker: Aida, Seihou | 1926-1998
Origin:
Aida-san is a very popular Sosaku Kokeshi artist who has won many awards since he began creating Kokeshi in 1962. Aida was bon in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture in the first year of the Showa era. Along with the Prime Minister’s Award, he also won a top awards in the Modern Kokeshi Academy in 1972-74; the Minister of Education Encouragement Price at the National Modern Kokeshi Exhibition in 1974; and an award in 1993 at the Special Kokeshi Federation Anniversary Exhibition. He is acknowledged as one of the leading early artists in the Sosaku movement, and usually works in Enju wood, a dark, beautiful-grained wood of the Pagoda tree.
Collector's Note — descriptive qualities, standard characteristics, & ornamentation styles:
Kimono design and motifs are understated with the use of chattering giving a rich textured surface, or intricately handpainted with seasonal and natural flaura elements. The natural wood, typically Enju – Pagoda tree wood), provides a contrast to his understated, minimally painted, and ornamented doll. His heads are minimally rendered and usually peeping out of its winter wrap.
His faces usually have a tiny red nose and expressive eyes. Aida, Seihoou is extremely collectable and hard to find in excellent condition. The collector that appreciates the manipulation of natural wood would appreciate this contemporary handling of all related elements.