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Description
6" (15 cm.) (7" with base). Posed seated are two men, one depicting a youthful man and one depicting an aged man with sculpted detail of age lines and silk fiber grey hair, brows, moustache and beard, each with carved wooden head, inset glass eyes, gofun finish, painted facial feature including sky-brows indicating their position as court dolls. each with wooden hands and posed upon matching silk-wrapped base. They wear elaborate silk court costumes with cloud and dragon design on the kimono, patterned trousers, black lacquer kanmuri court cap,and each carries a sword and bow and swords. Generally excellent. Meiji era. circa 1870. The pair, representing Ministers of Left and Right, or old man and young man, served as court attendants, accompanying noblemen on their voyages outside the palace. Their history is well-detailed in Ningyo, The Art of the Japanese Doll by Alan Scott Pate, page 124/125.