RARE. An old Tsuchiyu-style Kokeshi attributed to Masayoshi Sakai (酒井正進), a Japanese kokeshi artisan associated with Nakanosawa Onsen in Fukushima Prefecture.
This elegant wooden doll features a large, rounded head with delicately painted black hair, gently curved eyebrows, and a peaceful expression. Its slender cylindrical body is decorated with a distinctive kikyō (桔梗) bellflower motif, featuring delicate black floral outlines arranged vertically along the natural wood.
Unlike the colourful chrysanthemum patterns commonly seen on traditional kokeshi, the understated bellflower decoration gives this piece a particularly refined and poetic character. In Japanese culture, the kikyō flower symbolises sincerity, enduring affection, and elegance.
Masayoshi Sakai born on February 1, 1899, in Fukushima Prefecture, Sakai initially worked at Nakanosawa Onsen before establishing a souvenir shop and later a general store.
From the 1930s, he became associated with the production of distinctive bellflower-patterned kokeshi, often using wooden blanks turned by other craftsmen, including Yoshizō Iwamoto.
His work became particularly recognised for its elegant floral decorations, especially the purple kikyō motif. During the late 1930s, he actively produced and displayed these dolls in his shop, contributing to the development of the distinctive Nakanosawa kokeshi tradition.
He passed away on May 17, 1976, leaving behind a legacy of beautifully decorated Japanese wooden folk dolls.
Size: 7 x 7 x 24cm
