Passed
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Description
22" (56 cm.) The mechanical vignette depicting a Doji drummer and a mouse tower, resting upon an elaborate base with gold treatments and a painted front aperture bearing auspicious longevity symbols of crane, tortoise and shochikubai (three friends of winter) pine, plum, and bamboo. A side turn-crank activates the mechanisms hidden within the base that move the doll's head from left to right as his arms raise and lower to beat a raised taiko drum while mice scurry up a track to a watch tower, and music faintly plays. The classic doji boy having head and hands of wood covered in gofun with painted features, wears a silk brocade sleeveless vest, purple silk zukin-style cap over long silk hair, chirimen silk crepe under kimono with embroidered sleeve designs; and the mice are of papier mache covered in gofun with painted details. There is a silk brocade entry cloth at top of tower, with a papier mache pine tree back drop. Edo Period, 19th century. Zashiki karakuri were not designed to be overly elaborate or complicated and, as a general rule, they feature a limited set of actions, usually accompanied by twanged-string music. The most common character is the doji or karako boy who frequently beats a drum or engages in some other limited performance. They provided simple amusements during a simpler time.