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Boy's Day Doll depicting Samurai Attendant: A: Figure with attached head molded from wood paste and dipped in gofun (oyster shell powder), white complexion, painted black straight eyebrows, large wide nose, open mouth with red lips, white teeth, pink interior, bald pate, black fiber silk hair inserted into groove in head, hanging down over shoulders. The figure is kneeling on left knee with right leg bent and right foot on ground, figure is leaning slightly forward, left arm is slightly bent with an open hand, right arm is slightly bent and extending forward with hand curled as if to hold a weapon. Carved wood hands are dipped in gofun. Clothing consists of a kimono-style upper garment with sleeves and collar showing made of tan cotton and silk brocade with a doll-sized medallion design with scattered blue and lime green medallions; right sleeve is tied at the wrist with flat green silk cord and the left sleeve is pulled up revealing an under sleeve, white damask silk lining. The undersleeve of blue cotton brocade with faded orange and green chrysanthemum and vine design is gathered at the wrist. There is a black velvet covered hand guard covering the left hand and has an tin flower shaped boss on top (the right one is missing). Armour consists of a breastplate made of ridged rust colored papier mache with three bands of copper and brass colored metal across the front, blue silk cord lacing, a copper metal ring with a brass center (snake eye mon?), and an embossed copper colored metal band at the top which is cut with a diamond shaped edge. The breastplate is held to the back plate by blue brocade shoulder straps in the same material as the undersleeve and hakama; fastened with two flower shaped aluminum bosses. The backplate is a plain rust colored painted paper mache piece with two bosses at the upper corners. The two panels of shoulder armour, one front panel, two side panels and two right back panels hanging from the waist are made of four tiers of ridged rust colored papier mache laced with blue silk cord; a copper colored diamond cut edged metal band is attached to the lowest tier of each panel with nails. The shoulder armour lies under two epaulets which are padded and covered with tan and brown silk brocade. One white silk undercollar shows at the neck. An olive green cotton sash is tied around the waist in a double knot at the front where the sash has been padded. Kukuribakama pants in course blue silk brocade with faded green and orange flowers and vines (the same as the under sleeve and shoulder straps) are stuffed and gathered into shin guards; white cotton lining shows at the side back openings. The shin guards are green and beige cotton and paper cloth with vertical bands of metal, 7 on the right leg, 4 on the right longer leg, calves are covered with blue silk. The carved wood feet are covered with black velvet tabi and the grass sandals are laced between the toes and around the ankle. B: Hat, Diam: 2.5", round saucer shape made of papier mache covered with a brown sandy finish on top and a gray painted interior; a padded red silk crepe chin strap is held to the inner side by a glued rectangle of blue damask. Condition: Hair disintegrating; right hand guard missing and right hand gofun is chipped beneath; black velvet nap is rubbing off on hand guard and tabi; small chips from hat.

1993.004.113