Monkey, Old Man, Hannya...
Arrange them like chess pieces
Eleven clay dolls.

The clay dolls were said to have been found in the ruins of a fire that occurred in the Taisho era when the artist's printing shop burned down. When I acquired these eleven dolls, I was told that they were not sooted. I am skeptical as to whether they were actually found in the ruins of a fire, but I am a little anxious about whether the game of telephone to the next owner will go well, and I want to stop and think about it.

While I am skeptical of the story, the current state of each clay figurine head set on a pedestal is an undeniable fact. I can't help thinking, "Well, it might be a fabricated story, but that's okay." And there is no lie in my appreciation of this masterpiece. If you are attracted to the condition of this item, then antiques win. Even if the story is a fabricated story,There was a hazeThe depth of the antiques begins to emerge, and I find that to be a joy in itself.



Text by Shigenori Tsuzuki