Respect and Friendship: Japanese Ichimatsu Dolls

We live in a throw-away society.  The items we purchase are no longer meant to last a lifetime.  In deed, there is a built in obsolescence to many of our purchases.   Beginning in the 1960s relationships began to be cast away with relative ease as divorce became a more common option when the glow of love was reduced to a cinder.  So how do we instill in our children pride and respect for a job well done and for the family and friends that surround them, for objects that no longer have a use in our technological world? 

I do agree that this is an unusual way to begin a blog about antiques and collectibles.  The first question parents often ask of teachers is "Does my child show respect to others?"  The first statements a teacher will often make of a child pertains to whether the child shows pride in their efforts at learning and whether the child respects the property and rights of classmates.  As a School Psychologist I believe there is much to be learned in understanding the close connection between the early collections of a child and the character of the adult.

   

Childhood Collections

My earliest collections were dandelion flowers which I delivered to my mother.  She loved flowers and there was an abundance in our neighbor' s yard.  I was careful to select the most perfect flowers I could find and was gentle as I presented them  to my mother so as not too damage the delicate yellow  petals.  My collection of dandelions were not very lasting but they were the start of my collecting.  Like most little children we tend to collect things that are close to the ground, things that we can easily reach and carry home.  Some other things I collected were shells gathered at the beach, rocks gathered on walks, and leaves falling from trees in autumn.  To me they were treasures and I felt proud like I had found the riches of the world.

Gathering fireflies during summer evenings was a collecting activity enjoyed with friends.  We quickly learned that to enjoy the light show we had to set our collection of fireflies free.  Lesson learned: respect life else the beauty is lost.

My collection of match books was gathered over a period of years and continues to this day as I experience new dining pleasures with family and friends. With matchbook collecting one learns to be respectful of how to store and present the collection as well as who can be trusted to view the collection to avoid the obvious hazard of matches. 

Some children play with their dolls, soldiers, and action figures which are the universal collectibles of children.  Remember to the plush animals and toys that are sold with fast food.  Unlike the food that is quickly eaten and forgotten many of the toys that accompany these meals and other toys of childhood become the collectibles of adulthood.

So it happened in 1927 when children from the United States extended the hand of friendship holding a doll to more than 10,000 Japanese children.    

Japanese Friendship Dolls

One of the dolls finding its way into my collection was a doll from Japan known as an Ishimatsu or Friendship Doll. 

 

In 1927 the United States sent more than 13,000 blue eyed dolls to Japanese children.  The Japanese children met the dolls with enthusiasm and the dolls were known as Friendship Dolls.

Wanting to return this act of friendship,  Eiichi Shibusawa, a Japanese businessperson and educator arranged to have 58 special dolls made and sent to the United States.

The dolls were 33 inches tall and dressed in the finest silk
kimonos.  The dolls were called Friendship Dolls.  The Friendship Dolls came with accessories including parasols and lacquered chests. 

When the dolls arrived in the United States they toured the country.  Eventually they were placed in various museums
across the country for the public to view and enjoy.

 

With the United States entering WWII, the dolls were packed away and forgotten.  At that time no one wanted to view dolls from a country that had attacked Pearl Harbor.

It was in 1984 that an article was written about a Japanese Friendship Doll being found stored in the Smithsonian that interest was renewed in these dolls.  45 dolls are unaccounted for although the search continues.

Finding Friendship Dolls

A browse through the internet auction and mall sites will likely lead you to find dolls referred to as Japanese Friendship Dolls or Ichimatsu Dolls.  While it is unlikely you will find one of the original 58 dolls, the dolls being offered today are generally of excellent quality.  The dolls are made by master doll artists in Japan who are able to transform shell into pale complexion dolls that rival the bisque doll complexions.  Ichimatsu dolls are also dressed in traditional kimonos make of the finest silk. The boy Ichimatsu dolls are rarer and their costumes are less colorful than their girl counterparts.
The Ichimatsu dolls of today are destined to be the antiques of tomorrow



Till next time, stay well, stay happy