Vintage Gunma Kokeshi “Little Girl” by Sansaku Sekiguchi, 1970s

Small vintage Gunma kokeshi titled “Little Girl”, created by Sansaku Sekiguchi, one of the most highly regarded artists within the sōsaku kokeshi tradition. The wooden doll has a sober cylindrical form with a large dark hairstyle, fine eye lines and a subtle red mouth. The body is decorated with hand-carved motifs of faded dandelions, applied in a restrained yet graphic way against the dark wood.

Dimensions: height 14 cm, diameter 8 cm.

Sansaku Sekiguchi, born in 1925, was an important Japanese kokeshi artist from Gunma and was awarded the title of Master of Creative Kokeshi. His work is loved by collectors for its combination of simplicity, gentle expression and strong decorative linework.

A characterful collector’s piece that also works beautifully as a small Japanese interior accent. Marked on the underside with the artist’s stamp.

Condition: light signs of use consistent with age; well preserved and decoratively strong.