Dolls depicting geisha, professional female entertainers trained in traditional Japanese art, music and dance, have been produced in Japan at least since the 18th century.
The Piece
A silk-skinned geisha doll, about 22 inches high, from the mid-20th century
The Owner
Marion Bristol of Mandeville says that her mother was given the doll in 1965 by a Japanese woman who was renting one of her apartments. "She came in a glass case, which later fell apart," Bristol said. "She is all silk, including her face . . . and is lovely and delicate to behold."
What a Doll
In Japan, the word "ningyo" is used to describe a variety of types of figurines, from the traditional hina ningyo (girl\'s day dolls) and elegant isho ningyo (fashion or costume dolls), to the chubby gosho ningyo (palace dolls) and fierce-faced musha ningyo (warrior dolls). Traditional ningyo are much more to the Japanese than mere toys, however; many are iconic cultural symbols that are afforded respect and even veneration.
Exotic Performers
Many of the dolls feature skin of painted silk.
Dolls depicting geisha, professional female entertainers trained in traditional Japanese art, music and dance, are known by various names, including isho-ningyo (fashion or costume doll); bijin ningyo (beautiful women dolls); sakura ningyo (cherry blossom dolls); and ukiyo ningyo (floating world dolls). They have been produced in Japan at least since the 18th century to represent various activities and aspects of daily life, particularly those of the Edo period (1603-1867). Geisha dolls, dressed in elaborate silk brocade kimonos with trademark coiffures, attempted to capture the exotic appearance of the real Japanese geisha, who flourished during this period. While many of the dolls feature skin of painted silk, they were also made from hard gofun (a paste made from seashells), gypsum lacquer, porcelain or, in more modern times, plastic. Affixed to wooden bases, the geisha are often posed as though they are performing, with hands positioned to grasp a helmet, fan, drum, branch of wisteria or puppet.
Many of the dolls feature skin of painted silk.
As smooth as Silk
Silk-skinned or silk-mask-faced dolls, like this one, became a popular home craft in the 1920s and \'30s in Japan. Designed as collectibles, many were made by private doll makers, although some were marketed by companies such as Nishi and Kugetsu. According to Judy Shoaf, author of a Web page titled "A Page for Japanese Dolls," silk-mask-faced geisha dolls were first designed by Kamimura Tsuyuko, a world traveler who took the idea from French dolls. Shoaf notes that most of the dolls of this type now found in the United States were produced after World War II and were probably brought home by tourists or U.S. military personnel who served overseas.
What it\'s Worth
Geisha dolls are still made today and can be purchased for anywhere from $30 (for a mass-produced doll made of plastic) to many hundreds of dollars, depending on the materials used and the skill of the doll maker. Vintage and antique dolls of gofun or silk are also in demand, and one that is very old, or that was made by a well-known artist, can be priced in the thousands of dollars. Without more information about its maker, Bristol\'s doll would probably be valued at $150 to $300.