Kokeshi Doll Letter Holder Turned wood doll made of two pieces with round head, peg neck fits into hole on top of doll body. Body is hollow wood tube into which rolled letter paper is inserted and the pedestal cap has carved threads to screw into bottom of the body. A: Doll head has red painted petal shapes at back and at each side of face indicating tied kerchief. Painted black bangs and side hair pieces, eyebrows, round eyes, u-shaped nose and two red dots for lips. The cylindrical varnished body has a painted design of 7 red flowers with green leaves, an orange kimono color and blue cross hatched and dotted obi. B: Pedestal cap of turned wood that has a threaded knob which screws into the bottom of the body, exterior is varnished. C: Letter - rolled piece of paper: L:7", W: 2.25". Hand written English message inserted into body of doll reads "6 Aug. Dear Sealoff-sensei, Now I got back home from hospital. Injection of streptomycin will finish at next Tuesday and about next Friday I will know the results of all examination. So I can't see your many treasures, I'm very sorry! But I shall visit you on the next weekend with good report "Complete recovery", I hope so. If you can find time to spare, please come down to here. We will show you Hamana-ko lake. Yesterday I made "something" or present for you. This morning I had a letter from Watanabe-san. (over) My mother & sister join me in kind regards. Yours truly, Toshio Okabe" D: Mailing tag, 4.25" x 1.75" made of heavy paper with brown reinforced hole, wired to the neck of the doll; on one side is a green stamp showing a snowy mountain and the number 10, with a round post mark, reads "Miss Georgia L. Sealoff, c/o Toyo Kikaikaikan Hotel, 15, Shiba Mita Shikoku, Minato-ku, Tokyo" and Japanese kanji below; on the other side "Toshio Okabe, 4445 Higashi iba-cho, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Pref., Please open a foot-cap, you shall find a letter. My dear kokeshi will send a letter you holding her bosom."

1996.010.135