vintage kokeshi by Watanabe Masao

Those wide eyes make this chamekko (playful child) look as though it’s just been caught in the act. Made by Watanabe Masao, it’s a little mischief for a bookshelf or desk. Signed by the maker.

Watanabe Masao (1917–2007) was a leading figure in twentieth-century sōsaku kokeshi. Born in Fukushima and trained under traditional Yajirō maker Sato Tatsuo, he began creating kokeshi in the early 1950s and received numerous awards for his work. His kokeshi are held in the permanent collection of the Nuremberg Toy Museum.