Miniature Carved Wooden Trio of Court Ladies with Rare Carved Hair, Late Edo Period

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3" (8 cm.) and 5". Each has wooden head with well-defined carved hair featuring widow's peak and side wings, gofun complexion, painted features, slit alaong side of head for insertion of hair fibers (now lacking), costume-covered bodies, carved wooden hands peeking from sleeves. They are wearing a matched set of kimonos with brown silk crepe trousers (hakama), five silk collars, and with embroidered flowers at the sleeves and padded hem. Generally excellent. Late Edo period, circa 1840, with distinctive facial features, the ladies-in-waiting of the court (sannin-kanjo) are rare to find with carved hair, matched luxury costumes, and tiny size. A fascinating history of these court ladies can be found in Ningyo, The Art of the Japanese Doll by Alan Scott Pate, page 126.