Adorable Keuesaiku Puppy, Showa Era

Live Auction

2" (5 cm.) Papier mache seated puppy with silk hair cover to simulate fur, the silk dyed white with a shock of black on the head covering the ears and eyes but leaving the nose area white, modeled pink nose and black bead eyes, sporting a red silk crepe collar. Showa Era, 20th century. The creation of papier mache animals covered in fine silk fur was a Kyoto specialty, and can be seen as an expansion of the earlier goten-gangu papier mache animals covered in gofun with painted details. The puppy, a long-standing theme expressing fertility and happiness, was frequently included in the Hina Matsuri display as well as serving as stand-alone gangu toys.