Vintage Japanese Sosaku Kokeshi “Shimai | Whispering Sisters” by Yonamoto, Minoru (1934-)

Sale price$398.00 Regular price$450.00
Save 12%

Dimensions: 15-3/4”h

This is an exceptional pairing of two dolls illustrate beautifully-turned figures. The emphasis is on the combination of unpainted woods, beginning with the unusual and expressive Obi. Each has spherical insets of different types of wood, with a backdrop of ‘Rokuro- moyo’ horizontally carved line work incorporated into each body, defining the matching Obi on each doll. The heads have sumi-e’ brushwork in the style of the traditional Tougatta family of dolls, defining the faces, with bangs and side hair-fringes. The heads ad designed and made to be positioned as if they were communicating or whispering to each other. Each doll has the artist’s signature on the bottom identifying the maker.

This pair is published in a 200 page hardcover book entitled: Sosaku Kokeshi: Celebrating the Major Artists of the Creative Movement with information on the artist which can also be seen on this site under the artists name: (https://mingeiarts.com/collections/artisan-woodworker-yonamoto-minoru-1934. 

Condition: Excellent, meaning that the piece retains its original craft/workmanship showing a wonderfully-developed patina commensurate with age, which suggests a degree of wear that corresponds to its vintage, void of damage, cracks, breakage, or repairs. This doll meets all the standards of the collectible Japanese Sosaku Kokeshi.