Japanese Meiji Hina Ningyo for Hina Matsuri Festival

East Asia, Japan, Meiji period, early 20th century. Two Japanese Hina Ningyo (dolls) used for the Hina Matsuri Festival (also known as the Girls Festival), representing a samurai and an empress, both in traditional costumes, the samurai also carrying a sword. Displaying emperor and empress dolls during festivals began during the early Edo period (1603 - 1868). Other types of dolls (ladies-in-waiting, musicians, guards and servants) were added later. Aristocrats, samurai, and daimyo classes also traditionally selected a set of hina dolls when it was time for marriage to be incorporated in to the bridal trousseau during the Edo period. An elegant pair of Hinamatsuri. Size of samurai figure: 8" L x 11" W x 12.25" H (20.3 cm x 27.9 cm x 31.1 cm) Size of empress: 7" L x 12.625" W x 10.25" H (17.8 cm x 32.1 cm x 26 cm)

Provenance: private southern California, USA collection, acquired before 2000

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#163011
Condition Report: Samurai doll: Hair piece comes off the figure. Some loss to hair on back of head. Minor fraying to tassels and ends of green wrist adornments. One rosette on green collar is missing. Age wear and fading to fabrics and ornamentation commensurate with age. Empress: Missing head covering/coiffure. Stable crack to back of head. Some age wear to face with scuffs/nicks to nose and lips. Fraying/losses to tassels, areas of loss, tears, and fading to fabrics and ornamentation commensurate with age.