This listing is for a pair of vintage Japanese kokeshi dolls.  These are traditional wooden dolls dating back to the late Edo period (early 1800s). Originally made as toys and souvenirs for visitors, they symbolize protection and good luck but have also become valued souvenirs representing visited temples and villages. 

This pair is a creative-style kokeshi is modeled after the double gourd (hyotan) motif - a Japanese symbol of good fortune, protection, and fertility. The faces are painted in a playful style with the gourd-shaped bodies in black and red. Each is adorned with bold stylized calligraphy in white with a tasseled cord around the middle. Look closely to see a bit of sparkle from added mica or crushed shell.  Festive flair!

4.5" x 2.5" - Small Size

Kokeshi are often a simple cylindrical body, a round head that sometimes bobbles and a painted face or carved patterns with a serene expression. There are two styles - traditional (dento) and creative (shingata) which emerged after WWII to show more freedom in design, color, and themes. Click here to learn more about this wonderful Japanese folk art.