Vintage silk doll of noble man in Kariginu wear

Vintage hand made Kimekomi doll from Japan, made in traditional Kimekomi style. This doll features a noble aristocrat in Kariginu wear. This outfit is made of a light and dark blue weave silk with gold colored silk thread patterning. In everyday life, Kariginu were worn as informal hunting wear by the Heian nobility and later as formal wear by the military aristocracy. Nowadays a white version of the Kariginu is still worn by priests during Shinto and Buddhist rituals. The hair of this doll is tied in a knot, over which he wears a silk Eboshi, a distinctive headgear worn by adult men during formal occasions. Also note the small details, such as the cute feet at the bottom, the golden fan and the subtly expression in his face. This doll is in good vintage condition.

The body of a Kimekomi doll is made of ‘toso‘, a paulownia wood sawdust mixed with wheat starch paste, after which it is artfully covered with various silk woven fabrics. The head is made of bisque clay covered with a top layer of ‘gofun‘ (white seashell pigment). The hands of this doll are made of polyethylene. Read more about this special Kimekomi technique on my About page.

Material: silk fabric, Toso, gofun
Height: 29 cm
Width: 12 cm
Productcode: KD-011

SOLD

Vintage
Look at the pictures carefully to assess the condition of these vintage items. Read more about the making of Kimekomi dolls on my About page.