Delightful Matched Pair of Kobe-ningyo (Mechanical Dolls), Showa Era

Live Auction

3 1/2" (9 cm.) The coordinated pair of kobe-ningyo depicting a sake drinker and melon eater, are posed as though seated in wood boxes, the boxes with inlays of Buddhist manji symbol of universal harmony and eternity on side and with diamond lozenge on front, and with side turn knob which activates simple movements. The sake drinker tips bottle into sake bowl and lifts bowl to head while head bobs back and forth and mouth opens and closes; while, similarly, the melon-eater chops melon slices with a knife and lifts melon to mouth while head tips back and forth with mouth opening and closing as if eating; to further the effect, bite-like sections have been carved out of the top of the melon slice in his right hand, The figures are painted black with inset bone eyes and painted irises. Showa Era, 20th century. Artisans used black pigments on softer woods such as ho-no-hi (magnolia). The ghost like faces of the kobe-ningyo earned them the sobriquet obaka-ningyo (ghost dolls). There were a number of production centers in and around Kobe and the inclusion of a Buddhist symbol of the side may indicate that they were souvenir items from one of the temple in the area.