PLEASE HELP
This is a figure mounted on a cross section of a tree branch with a Japanese character painted on it. The figure is made of fabric, stuffing and what appears to be stiff wire inside, and has a painted face. The figure is playing a violin and looks like it is supposed to be a gypsy or Italian figure, although the figure has a tag on it that indicates it was made in Japan.
The figure is about 5-6 inches tall. He is wearing a knit green cap with a white pompon, has black velvet pants and a printed tunic over a formal white shirt with a bead for a cufflink on each sleeve. The tunic has a fringe. The violin and bow are made of wood and the strings on the bow and violin seem to be made of single threads. The figure has a nose and ears that are glued to the face, although the rest of the face is painted. It has brown eyes and a brown fringe made of threads for hair sticking out from under the cap. He is barefoot.
He seems to be being held together with stitching and with glue. He is not poseable, but is posed as if playing his instrument.
There is a gold colored, printed and embossed tag around his neck that looks like a Japanese child holding a gold-colored disk, although you can only see the head, eyes, hands and feet of the child, as the rest (the gold disk) is part of the tag. The tag says something like "The Original Shibateh" although the stamp is blurry so the H's could be M's, N's or some combination. The bottom of the tag says "Handicrafted (sic) in Japan". There is also a stylized Japanese logo in the center of the tag that looks like Fi with the F trisected. The reverse side of the tag reads "This seal guarantees Top Quality and Workmanship Beware of Imitations!"
The bottom of the figure also has a gold embossed tag that is hard to read. It has the stylized Japanese logo on it, with a sentence in Japanese characters underneath. Below that is something that appears to say "FUTABA DOLLATELIER KOCHI". I think this item was purchased in the 1960's.
I tried to search online for information about this item but had no luck. Any info is greatly appreciated! ALSO: Any estimates of worth and where to sell it?
Submit your estimate of worth
|
