Vintage Sosaku Kokeshi entitled: “Mebae | Flower Bud” by Watanabe, Masao

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Dimensions: 12-0”h

This elegantly carved doll illustrates unusual lathe-turned features. This particular neck treatment emphasizes the beautifully formed head treatment incorporating bangs and unusually fashioned hair that has been swirled on the top to resemble a “Mage”. It features a beautiful waistline that is accentuated with exaggerated ‘Chatter Work’, (Birikan’na) on the bodice to give it a textural quality. As with most of Watanabe’s work, it celebrates the wood and the natural graining of Oak, (Kashiwa) from which the doll was made. There is no signature on this doll but is featured in publications as being one of his most unusual Sosaku creations.