Carved Wooden Ningyo with Superb Costume and Hair

Live Auction

12" (30 cm.) Carved wooden head with slightly-tinted gofun finish, glass inset eyes, heavy eyelids, broad nose, closed mouth, large ears, shadowed hair under elaborately-arranged silk fiber hair with bald spot on crown indicating his youth, and a gilt metal-wrapped topknot and queue. Finely carved wooden hands and feet, defined big toes, and wearing a silk costume comprising a gold brocade jacket printed with flowers, silk gauze sleeveless kimono, ivory brocade trousers and sandals and posed on his wooden stand. Showa era, circa 1930s.