Nara Ittobori Japanese Crane
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NAME: Japanese Nara doll or ittobori wood carving of a nesting crane w/wood box
MAKER: Signature engraved on bottom and signed on the underside of the box lid. The translation services (not always accurate with names) gave me the name of "Matsuura".
SIZE: 9-1/4" long, 3-3/8" at tallest point
CONDITION: Excellent
NOTES: Very beautiful! Ittobori cranes are quite difficult to get. This one is exceptionally well done. Each larger chisel cut contains many smaller chisel cut marks to give the bird more dimension. The individual tips of the vanes of the feathers can also be seen (painted).
The box is made of kiri wood (paulownia). The crane was wrapped in yellow cloth. (Some of the finer craft items are wrapped in a yellow cloth but the significance is unknown).
Briefly, Ittobori is a carving technique. The name literally means "one chisel cut". You see the angles made by the chisel, they are not smoothed out. An art form that goes back hundreds of years, the most popular subjects are Noh and the 12 Animals of the Zodiac. It was
recognized in 1975 by the Minister of International Trade and Industry as a "traditional art craft".
This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 05 August, 2009.
