博多人形/Hkata Ceramin Doll /Miko Dancer - 日本 - Shōwa period (1926-1989)

Item Description
Important Notice Regarding Customs & Import Taxes (Effective July 1, 2026)

From July 1, 2026, all parcels shipped from outside the EU to EU countries valued at €150 or under are subject to new customs regulations.

What this means for you:

A flat customs duty of €3 per item will be applied
VAT will be calculated on the total of (item price + €3 duty)
Your carrier may charge an additional handling fee (approx. €15)

Example: For an item valued at €120:

Customs duty: €3 / VAT (21%): €25.83 / Handling fee: ~€15

→ Estimated additional cost: approx. €43
These charges are the responsibility of the buyer and are collected upon delivery.

Please factor this into your bid before purchasing.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me before bidding. Thank you for your understanding.

Shipping method: The lot will be carefully packaged and sent by DHL or FedEx or EMS depend on the situation. It takes about 3 weeks to receive normally. Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Sometimes Customs or delivery company in your country contact you for Customs clearance via phone or email. Please make sure that you could answer the phone. If you don't, the parcel will return to me and it cost more double shipping fee for reshipping. I appreciate your cooperation.

A striking and finely crafted Hakata Ningyo (博多人形) figurine depicting a maiko (apprentice geisha) in an elegant dancing pose, presented in its original paulownia wood storage box. This is a "Hon-zome" (本染, true-dyeing) style Hakata doll — one of the most prized categories of this celebrated Fukuoka craft tradition — in which the kimono pattern is directly applied using traditional pigments, giving the surface a rich, painterly depth that sets it apart from standard production pieces.
The figure captures a maiko mid-dance, her body turned with natural, flowing grace, one arm extended upward holding a folded golden fan (sensu). Her kimono is rendered in dramatic glossy jet-black, adorned with a sweeping wave motif (nami-mon) in the style of Katsushika Hokusai's iconic Great Wave — rendered in white with gold-tone highlights, white spray dots, and a red inner lining that flashes at the hem and sleeves. The obi (sash) is depicted in warm golden-ochre with bold blue brushstroke accents, while the under-collar and lining show delicate pink and multi-color details. The figure stands on a sculptural wave-form base, extending the wave composition to the very ground.
The face is rendered with the refined, porcelain-smooth finish characteristic of master Hakata doll craftsmanship — delicate features, almond-shaped eyes with precise linework, coral-red lips, and a traditional shimada hairstyle pinned with a kanzashi hairpin. The overall impression is one of arrested motion and theatrical elegance.
Hakata Ningyo (Hakata dolls) originated in Fukuoka, Kyushu, in the early Edo period and are recognized as one of Japan's designated traditional craft treasures (Dento Kogeihin). Made from unglazed fired clay, they are celebrated for their exceptionally refined painting and coloration, and their lifelike depiction of figures from Japanese performing arts, daily life, and history. The "Hon-zome" designation indicates that the kimono decoration has been applied using genuine pigment-dyeing technique rather than simple painting, producing greater depth and durability of color.
The wood storage box is inscribed "Hon-zome / Hakata Ningyo" (本染 博多人形) with an artist's signature and red seal on both the box and the accompanying inner paper. The specific artist's name is not confirmed; the cursive script signature is present but not definitively identified.
我的信息 / 私のメッセージ
非常感谢您查看我的物品。我在日本经营一家回收商店，加入 Catawiki 是希望把充满日本工艺与历史的美好物品分享给世界各地的人们。如对这件作品有任何疑问，欢迎随时给我发信息。衷心感谢各位 — ARIGATO

Shipping method: The lot will be carefully packaged and sent by DHL or FedEx or EMS depend on the situation. It takes about 3 weeks to receive normally. Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Sometimes Customs or delivery company in your country contact you for Customs clearance via phone or email. Please make sure that you could answer the phone. If you don't, the parcel will return to me and it cost more double shipping fee for reshipping. I appreciate your cooperation.

Size
Height: 30 cm

Width: 15 cm

Depth: 11.5 cm

Weight
—

Condition
Overall condition is good with no significant chips or damage; age-related soiling, some color bleed from the pigment dyeing, and minor surface scuffing are present — please refer carefully to all photographs before bidding.

Artist Profile
Unknown Artist. An artist's signature in cursive script and a red seal are present on both the storage box and the inner paper, but the specific artist's name has not been confirmed. The box is inscribed "Hon-zome Hakata Ningyo" (本染 博多人形).

Catawiki出品項目

Type: Figurine / 博多人形（置物）
Title of Artwork: Hakata Doll — Dancing Maiko in Black Wave Kimono, Hon-zome, with Box
Artist: Unknown / 作者不明（署名・朱印あり）
Origin: Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan / 日本・福岡県博多
Material: Unglazed fired clay, mineral pigments / 素焼き陶土・顔料（本染）
Style: Hon-zome (true-dyeing) Hakata Ningyo / 本染博多人形
Subject: Maiko (apprentice geisha) dancing / 舞妓・舞踊
Decoration motif: Wave pattern (nami-mon), golden fan / 波文・扇
Condition: Good — minor age wear, color bleed, scuffing
Comes with box: Yes — paulownia wood storage box / 木箱付き（本染博多人形の箱書きあり）
Height: 30 cm
Width: 15 cm
Depth: 11.5 cm