Rare Vintage Kokeshi by Sadao Kishi

This rare vintage kokeshi by Sadao Kishi is 54cm. Until his death, Sadao Kishi produced hundreds of exclusive Kokeshi dolls. He won several awards during his career, including the Prime Minister’s Award and the Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Award. He is credited with being a major influence on the ‘Sosaku Kokeshi Movement,’ which helped to establish dolls as a common and legitimate art form.

This amazing kokeshi is in excellent condition with focus on the beautiful woodgrain and very faint leaves randomly etched and subtly coloured and serene one stroke facial detail. A very elegant kokeshi for the collector.

Sadao Kishi, a kokeshi artist, combines subjects related to mothers and children on the bodies of his kokeshi as both form-giving and decoration. His dolls are all beautifully proportioned and come in a variety of sizes, and they all celebrate nature and its contribution to everyday life. The use of plain turned wood emphasises the subject of his work.