Kokeshi Doll
Twentieth Century
21.4 cm high x 7 cm wide
Cat. 255833
Part of the Boone Collection
© The Field Museum
Kokeshi dolls, popular wooden toys among children in the north, grew to be popular collector's craft items throughout Japan. Due to the high demand from both collectors wanting more variety and children wanting new dolls, modern kokeshi often have much more detail and decoration in the actual wood shape than traditional kokeshi. The kokeshi doll in the collection of the Field Museum is of this type. She has hair ornaments which one would not see in traditionally formed dolls, and she also has kimono sleeves carved out in the front. She has a charming orange and green chrysanthemum design on her kimono and also in her hair.
(Commentary by Helena Stenberg)