Institute for Biodiversity Science and Sustainability

CAS Anthropology Collections Database


Catalog Number

CAS 1993-0001-0312A-E   CAS 1993-0001-0312A-E; Figurines (man and woman on stand) in lidded box
Category Folk Toys
Object Name Figurines (man and woman on stand) in lidded box
Culture Japanese
Global Region East Asia
Country Japan
State/Prov./Dist. Nara Prefecture
County
Other Geographic Data City: Yoshino
Maker's Name Unknown
Date of Manufacture ca. 1985
Collection Name Kadota Collection (Japanese Folk Toys)
Materials Cherry and other wood; Paint
Description A,B: Rectangular wooden box with separate lid, assembled from several pieces and glued together; Several Japanese characters and a shop mark are stamped on the exterior of the lid in either red or black ink; C: Small figurine of a man in standing position, minimally carved from a section of a cherry tree branch, with the natural bark incorporated into the carving to represent the figure’s cloak; Bark has been removed on front and painted blue, green, and white to depict the inner side of the cloak; The figure’s head has been carved with a lathe from one end of the branch and painted with delicate facial features, black painted hair cropped just above the neck and a gold crown or helmet held in place with painted red cord that extends down the side of the head; Double length of commercial multi-ply purple cordage is wrapped around figure’s waist and tied at front; D: Female figure similar to male figure except the interior of her cloak is red, yellow and white, secured with double length of red cordage around waist; Female figure does not wear anything on her head; E: Rectangular wooden block painted along front edge only to serve as platform base for the two figures. Pre-printed explanatory text (in Japanese) on yellow paper accompanies figures.
Dimensions (cm) Height = 9.0, Width = 7.1, Depth = 3.6