Kokeshi Doll - By Tsuya Ryozo (1918-) Japan Circa 1960-70 - Ko184

Unsigned -  traces of handling. Born in the town of Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1918 Tsujita was drafted into the army during World War II and was held captive in a Siberian labor camp in the Soviet Union until the late 1950s. perhaps to recapture his lost youth, Ryozo began making Sosaku dolls in 1961 in his hometown of Odawara, where he resided until his death. The recipient of several awards, he won the coveted Prime Minister's Prize in 1981 (which gave him the title of Master). He is one of fifty (50) local Sosaku artists featured in a kokeshi museum in Hakone. --------------------------------- About kokeshis: they were toys for little girls, or offered as tokens of love or friendship; or symbolized the desire to have a healthy child. They would have a talisman function, are modesty, gentleness. They would also have a Buddhist origin. Their hairstyles evoke the Buddha's bun. A certificate and notice on the artist will be given to the buyer. As well as a detailed explanation of the art of kokeshis.