Creative Kokeshi does not follow the traditional designs from the Tohoku region and instead has an unstructured inspiration that is completely free in terms of shape and painting, the only traditional constraint is that it is manufactured with a lathe. Unlike traditional kokeshi dolls, they do not show any of their distinctive local colors or […]
Traditional Kokeshi is still produced for the main part only in the six provinces of the Tohoku region. All twelve design schools here exhibit distinctive features that allow experts to tell exactly where and usually by whom they were produced. The features of the prominent design schools are explained below. Kokeshi’s oldest birthplace is in […]
Little is known about the early history of the Kokeshi Japanese Wooden Dolls. One school of thought believes that Kokeshi babies have their origins in spiritualist practice of religion. Wooden dolls were thought to contain the spiritual essence of the dead and were often made for honorary commemoration. The modern history of Japanese Kokeshi dolls […]
Kirov Style Matryoshka is made from linden and birch, which is cut when it is filled with sap in the spring, peeled and aired. Each doll shape is created on a lathe. Kirovskaya matryoskha is based on the style of Vyatka matryoskha. Most of the dolls are gold in color and have only females as […]