Okamoto Usaburo the founder of the famous Usaburo kokeshi was Born in Gunma prefecture in 1917 and started making kokeshi dolls in 1950. He is considered to be a pioneer in the kokeshi world thanks to his original machines that he developed for kokeshi making and the way he revolutionized the carving and burning process by introducing new techniques.

He also explored using types of trees that haven’t been traditionally used before for kokeshi making, such as chestnut and keyaki (thanks to their wonderful ugrain). After a considerable effort he succeed in creating marvelous dolls out of them as well as flower vases. He won many prizes for his works, including the prize of the Minister of International Trade and Industry.

In great condition with minor marks of age and use. Please note that the black mark is part of the wood grain and it’s not a crack.

Height: 19cm / 7.4 inches