Rare vintage kokeshi by Shōden - Wood - anders - Japan - Shōwa period (1926-1989)

Rare vintage kokeshi by Shōden.
In the world of Sōsaku Kokeshi (creative art dolls), Shōden (庄伝) is a fascinating and mysterious figure. Unlike large commercial kokeshi factories, Shōden worked as an independent, small-scale craftsman.
Shōden was mainly active in the 1970s and 1980s.
Shōden regarded the kokeshi not as toys, but as a modern interior and art object.
His dolls are always hand-signed at the bottom in black ink with 庄伝 (Shōden) or 庄伝作 (Shōden-saku), which is his personal stamp of authenticity.
Shōden is known among international collectors for a very recognizable, elegant and restrained signature in his designs:
His dolls almost always have a serene, dreamy face. The eyes are reduced to two tight, fine brushstrokes and the mouth is minimalist. This gives his dolls a timeless, soothing look.
Shōden frequently used deep, rich colors for the kimonos (often burgundy red, deep black or dark brown). What makes his work unique is the combination of wood carving and painting: the patterns on the kimono (such as the chrysanthemums on this doll) were first carved into the wood and then meticulously wash-d with gold- or color-pigments.
He favored monumental, heavy and jet-black hairstyles (okappa or carved knots) that stood in sharp contrast to the blank, untreated wood of the face.
Because Shōden turned, cut and painted his dolls entirely by hand, his total oeuvre remained relatively limited compared to mass producers (such as Usaburo). Today his dolls mainly appear at specialized Asian art auctions and vintage collectors platforms, where they are valued for their typical "Mid-Century Japanese" aesthetic.
Height is 34 cm; for condition see the photos.