Vintage Tsuchiyu kokeshi Abe Ichiro 36cm traditional banding decoration signed, Shōwa period ca. 1970s Japan held by hands wearing haori

Vintage large Tsuchiyu kokeshi signed by Abe Ichiro, 36cm high, Shōwa period ca. 1970s

Name: Tsuchiyu kokeshi Abe Ichiro signed XL 36cm Showa 1970s | KAIKO&CO
Brand: KAIKO&CO
Price: 149.0 EUR
Availability: InStock

€149.00

She stands 36 cm tall and takes up space the way a confident object does, not aggressively, but with presence. The red rokuro-moyo bands circle the body in clean horizontal lines, painted while the wood turned on the lathe, each one slightly varying in width and intensity. The face is the kind you remember: a long brushstroke for the nose, eyes that hold more expression than the minimal style usually allows.

Tsuchiyu is one of eleven traditional kokeshi styles in Japan, rooted in the hot spring villages of Fukushima Prefecture. Abe Ichirō (阿部一郎, 1925 to 2000) trained under his father, one of the central figures of the Tsuchiyu lineage, and spent his career both making kokeshi and passing the woodturning tradition to the next generation of craftsmen. His work is known for the particular character he brought to the face, a quality that sets it apart from more standardized Tsuchiyu production.

What makes this kokeshi special

The look and feel up close

The body is smooth and slightly warm to the touch, the lacquer finish thin enough that the grain of the wood reads through it. The red bands are dense and saturated at 36 cm, the scale makes them more graphic than they would be on a smaller piece.

The head turns, fitting into the body with the quiet precision of well-turned wood: snug. The studio sticker on the base is original. In hand the doll is solid and well-balanced, heavier than it looks.

Charming details

The rotating head is not a decorative feature. It is a technical standard: in traditional Tsuchiyu kokeshi, the head and body are turned separately on the lathe and fitted together with a slight friction joint that allows rotation. A head that turns correctly is evidence that the proportions are right and the wood has been worked to tolerance. Collectors use it as one of the first checks when assessing a piece. This one still moves as it should.

- Made by Abe Ichirō (阿部一郎, 1925 to 2000).
- Tsuchiyu system, Matsunoya lineage.
- Later taught woodturning to Abe Katsuhide and Abe Toshimasa, continuing the Tsuchiyu transmission.
- Signed: yes, on the base. Original studio sticker present on base.
- Traditional Tsuchiyu style (土湯系伝統こけし): hand-turned wood, lathe-painted rokuro-moyo banding, separately turned and fitted head.
- Tsuchiyu Onsen, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
- Shōwa period, ca. 1970s.
- Height: approx. 36 cm
- Weight: approx. 601 gr
- Very nice vintage condition. No dents, cracks, or repairs.
- Minor surface wear consistent with her age.
- Original studio sticker present on base.
- Keep away from direct sunlight and heat sources, both of which can cause the wood to dry out and crack over time.
- Do not use water or cleaning products on the painted surface.
- Dust with a dry soft cloth.
- The rotating head joint requires no maintenance but should not be forced.