vintage sakura kokeshi by Issetsu Kuribayashi

Known as Sakura, Japanese for cherry blossom, this unusual kokeshi by Issetsu Kuribayashi feels both stately and light. Smoky green and warm natural wood give the form a soft, timeworn presence. Signed on base.

Born in Yonezawa, Issetsu Kuribayashi (1924–2011) began making creative kokeshi in 1955 and became a founding figure in the sōsaku movement. A multiple award winner, Kuribayashi’s work is held by the Nuremberg Toy Museum.