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This rare and beautifully aged Naruko kokeshi was created by Sakurai Mannojō 桜井万之丞 1891–1969, one of the important craftsmen who helped shape and sustain the Naruko tradition through the early and postwar periods of the 20th century. The doll carries the quiet dignity and restrained elegance associated with older Naruko works, with its softly weathered surface and simple, expressive brushwork revealing decades of history and careful craftsmanship.
The piece features a rounded head with delicately painted eyes, fine brows, and the characteristic minimalist facial expression found in early Naruko kokeshi. The subdued reddish patina and visible wood grain give the doll a deeply organic presence, enhanced by the natural aging of the wood and pigments over time. Its slender body, free from elaborate decoration, reflects an older aesthetic sensibility in which form, balance, and the warmth of the material itself were central to the beauty of the piece.
Sakurai Mannojō was born in Naruko Yumoto in 1891 and entered the world of woodworking at a young age under the guidance of his elder brother, Iwazo Onuma. His career led him across several important kokeshi-producing regions including Kaminoyama and Zao Takayu, where he worked alongside notable craftsmen and became known for his remarkable dedication to the lathe. Stories of his discipline and skill became legendary among fellow artisans, including the well-known anecdote of him intentionally breaking the tip of his plane blade at the end of each day only to forge a new one the next morning.
After marrying into the Sakurai family, Mannojō eventually returned permanently to Naruko, where he devoted himself to woodturning and later became one of the central figures supporting the revival and continuation of Naruko kokeshi after the war. Alongside craftsmen such as Takahashi Musashi and Okazaki Sei, he played a major role in preserving the identity of traditional Naruko kokeshi during a critical transitional era. His work was introduced in early kokeshi literature including Kokeshi and the Makers, helping establish his reputation among collectors and folk art enthusiasts throughout Japan.
