Large Vintage ‘Spirit of the Wheat’ Engraved Japanese Kokeshi Doll

Distinguished by their single wooden body and head, Japanese kokeshi dolls were considered to be good luck talismans as well as child’s toys. Usually made from mizuki or cherry wood, they are hand-painted with bold brush strokes. This is a large kokeshi doll at just over 15 inches in height and it’s a particularly unusual design where the body has been finely engraved with stems of wheat. The shape of the body itself is unusual too, featuring different turned sections and the head is very simply, very beautifully painted, with a bun on top.