Vintage Japanese Kimekomi Blue and Gold Dragon

Vintage Japanese Kimekomi Blue and Gold Dragon. Intricately designed blue and gold dragon figurine. Covered with mostly Japanese brocade fabric and some chirimen crepe fabric. Features detailed patterns and vibrant colors. Approximately measures 5 inches tall (top of horns to bottom), front width 3.5 inches and 4.5 (front chest to end of tail). What are Kimekomi dolls? These dolls ware called KAMO-NINGYOU (KAMO-dolls) because the original dolls were made at the Kami Kamo shrine in Kyoto. Takahashi Tadashige made the first dolls, using pieces of willow tree wood shaped to resemble a body, cutting grooves in the dolls, and using glue to attach fabric scraps into the grooves of the body to create clothes. The process of making the Kimekomi Dolls has evolved over time, and it became the present making style. The original use of carved willow wood has almost completely disappeared, and present doll makers now use a variety of processes to make the traditional grooved body. The concept of doll making by gluing fabric into the grooves of the body has been taken over.