Thank you for looking. Please visit my other listings of contemporary and antique Japanese art. These vintage sosaku (modern or creative) kokeshi are made from beautiful Yakusugi wood, a unique type of cedar found on Yaku Island in southern Japan. Yakusugi wood is less dense than northern cedar species, but is equally wonderfully fragrant. The neckless rings around the necks are carved out from the same piece of wood as the dolls themselves and are not removable — the precise, meticulous technique that requires advanced skills from the master craftsman. The kokeshi are branded with the maker’s hanko seal which appears to read “Yakusugi, ” a reference to the type of wood used to make the dolls as well as the kokeshi making style. These kokeshi are in superb vintage condition – a rare find. Height: 11.2 inches. Combined weight: 591 g.
