$1,800
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Description
28" (71 cm.) Tokyo-made doll of Ichimatsu construction with soft upper legs, soft torso and padded upper arms, covered overall in a fine pure white gofun, with wide-set almond-shaped glass eyes, slightly open mouth exposing teeth, large pendant ears, hands well formed with nicely delineated fingers, wearing a rich figured satin weave silk outer kimono with scattered designs of phoenix, paulownia and peonies with rich gold inner lining, a fawn-spot chirimen silk crepe bib and an unusual tasseled silk cap, white tabi socks, The kimono is replaced. Taisho Era, circa 1920. Published Japanese Dolls: The Fascinating World of Ningyo, p. 242. The large-scale example bears the hallmarks of a work by Eitokusai II (Yamakawa Keijiro, 1858-1928). Though unsigned, the facial depiction and the use of pure white gofun on an Ichimatsu is very much in keeping with the artistic practices of Eitokusai, who was a supplier to the imperial family. Though more noted for his mitsuore-ningyo (triple jointed dolls), Eitokusai also produced high-quality Ichimatsu from his atelier in the Nihonbashi section of Tokyo.