A little background on what makes a doll an Ichimatsu ningyo… 人形 Ningyo = doll. That’s the easy part. 佐野川 市松 Sanogawa Ichimatsu (1722-1762) What have come to be called Ichimatsu dolls were first produced in the Kampô and Hôreki eras (1741 – 1764), the faces designed to resemble Sanogawa Ichimatsu, a Kabuki actor who was famous for…
Tag: restoration
Antique doll kimono – My New Year Challenge – part 2
In the West we tend to think of kimono as a static garment, always one style, one type of construction. Over the past decade I have handled a wide variety of vintage kimono, mostly from the 20th century, and the style, color, quality of weave, etc. do change the same as our own garments, although perhaps…
Vintage Katazome Comes Clean
Meiji era katazome cottons have a special place in my heart. I started collecting them years ago, back when I could barely afford to, and now it’s become something of a joy and an obsession. The fine dots and designs that remind me of having henna painted on my hands when I was 12 years…
Another tabletop Singer? Of course I’ll take it.
Rambling around the Alameda Point Antiques Faire this winter, I found this lovely Singer standing front and center of an antiques booth. She was a bit raggedy, but the dealer insisted that she would run just fine. I took a gamble that he was an honest man, especially after I noticed the throat plate was…
Vintage Doll Accessory Packs now on in the shop
As promised, vintage doll items are back in the KimonoMomo Etsy shop. Sending out one or two little fans or tabi at a time was a major hassle, and as I’m getting down to the last of my supplies, I’m offering 8-10 items plus a meter of vintage kimono fabric in each pack. If you…
Meiji Ningyo Restoration, part VIII
Home at last. The little fellow arrived shortly after my previous post, but I had mixed feelings about his restoration and it’s taken some time for me to sort things out in my head to where I felt comfortable writing about it. If you’re just joining this series, click here to read part 1 and…
Meiji Ningyo Restoration, part VI
Sometimes I get so distracted with my other work that I forget to come in here and keep you updated. As I am so fond of saying, I could really use an assistant… and a chef, a maid, a chauffeur, etc. At least I have the dog to get me up and out of bed…
Meiji Ningyo Restoration, part V
A very welcome email arrived in my box early Friday morning from Anne Weaver: I will speak for the little guy. He is now being made whole again by filling the missing surfaces of his body. The clothing is the biggest challenge due to years of dirt and aging. His face is in the early…
Meiji Ningyo Restoration, part IV
After a few days of airing the kimono out, I decided it was time to dress the little fellow properly at last. Once the hakama was on, he looked quite the little samurai. You may have noticed in the first photos that his hakama was tied on backwards and up to his neck. While this…
Meiji Ningyo Restoration, part III
After removing the layers of kimono and juban, I spread them out to air for the night. I wrapped the doll in a tea towel, laid him flat on a table and went to bed. In the morning, I found the smell from the dirty, dusty clothing to be cloying and not particularly pleasant. Even…
Meiji Ningyo Restoration, part II
Loading the doll and his glass case into the back seat of my car, I wedged the case in between some blankets and a sleeping teenager. Another teenager, surly and tired from waiting in the car while I’d chatted with the shop assistant and owner, looked over from the front seat. “Can we go now?”…
Meiji Ningyo Restoration, part I
Wandering through a local estate liquidator’s shop last week, this little fellow caught my eye. He stood in a glass case, carelessly dressed and dreadfully sun faded. His hakama had been tied up as if it were a pinafore, and his face was cracked and poorly repaired. Still, I thought he had a charming smile…
A love for both the common fiber and the extraordinary textile @KimonoMomo 