Kokeshi By Takamizawa Kazuo

Beautiful vintage gunma kokeshi with a kimono decorated with embossed kantsubaki (camellias that bloom in winter) and a marked waist. Made by Takamizawa Kazuo. It is dated 1990. Born in 1927, Takamizawa-san works in the city of Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, considered the center of modern creative kokeshi doll making. He has won numerous awards, including the Prime Minister's Award. His dolls from the early 1950s and 60s were left undecorated, except for minimalist pyrography (camellia flowers on enju wood...), on most of his dolls, the hair decoration is carved and dyed. And some of his creations can be delicately decorated using black pigments or thickly painted white flowers floating on the body (adding relief to the piece). He began creating more colorful and brightly decorated dolls in the 1970s. The small Kokeshi is from usaburo 

Okamoto-san was born in Shinto Village, Gunma Prefecture in 1917. Usaburo was the patriarch of the most prolific family of Modern Kokeshi doll manufacturing and began creating Sosaku dolls in

1950. He developed a technique of carving and baking to prevent wood from cracking and established the prototype for the Usaburo Kokeshi doll's introduction into the Kokeshi world. Winner of many awards, including the Prime Minister's Award, his early dolls were mostly hand-carved/painted on the wheel and one which was cherished was his Kokeshi Container for personal items in which the head being a separate element formed the top of the cylindrical container. His masterpiece, "Kantsubaki (Camellia in the Winter)", featured his favorite camellia flower on a beautiful zelkova for the bodies and Mizuki which was purchased by Emperor Showa. He established a museum in Gunma and passed away at the age of 91, and his sons, daughters, and extended family have currently been creating what is called "character" dolls, souvenirs decorations, and children's toys.