Japan, Japanese 人形の, Nippon Doll Makers, Doll Marks Identified
2022 – “The Ayervais Collection of Japanese Ningyo – Gosho Ningyo” (Palace dolls)
Part 1 of 4, YouTube video courtesy Theriault’s Dolls
Japan has a very long history of doll making, we concentrate on Japanese play dolls for export and their doll marks. Important note: in 1891 the United States, McKinley Tariff act required all imports, to be marked with the country of origin. Nippon and Japan are synonymous. Japan from 1891-1921 export dolls and items are marked Nippon or Made in Nippon. Japan export dolls and items after 1921 are marked Japan or Made in Japan.
During World War I in 1914 to 1919 Japan began making copies of German bisque dolls and even used similar incised doll marks for export as German bisque dolls that dominated the market, were no longer available to most. After the war ended German bisque dolls became available again. By 1926 the Japan dolls made for export ceased being made.
Asahi Toy Company doll mark ATC made in Japan, made in Hong Kong 1955+,
– Asahi is better known for making metal toys
All plastic or vinyl Sassy dolls 1960s-1970s Japan
Celluloid doll mark a symbol; origami bird, three acorn leaves, unknown.
Celluloid dolls marked with a word of Foreign, Japan, Made in Japan, Made in Japan K, Nippon Made in Occupied Japan, various makers unknown.
Criterion Toy Company plastic dolls 1960s Japan
Dakkachan dolls or embr dolls 1960s
Daruma good luck dolls of paper mache ca. 500 a.d. to present
Doll mark backward B inside a circle Made in Japan, unknown
Doll mark BE inside a diamond Nippon, Japan unknown
Doll mark diamond with symbol Made in Occupied Japan
Doll mark fan symbol Made in Japan, unknown
Doll mark JW Nippon 603, 605, Japan unknown
Doll mark Love-Loid Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. Patent 41045 Japan
– Japanese celluloid doll maker, unknown
Doll mark My inside a diamond symbol, unknown
Doll mark Nippon, many doll makers 1920s
– Japan doll mark NIPPON
Doll mark RE inside a diamond Nippon, Japan unknown
Doll mark S inside a circle Made in Japan, celluloid unknown
Doll mark SK inside a diamond Nippon, Japan unknown
Doll mark star inside a circle Japan, celluloid unknown
Doll mark triangle inside a circle Japan, unknown
FECO Japan doll mark dai symbol roof over a stick man symbol 1960s+
Note: the dai symbol generic mark was used by many doll makers
Forsum Doll Company small vinyl dolls with green tag 1968+
– green doll tag Styled by Forsum Made in Japan
Froebel-Kan bisque doll mark 1909+ Tokyo
Fuji Press Kogyosho doll mark 3 mountains symbol MM Made in Japan
Seth Fukaya artist doll mark Seto (Japan) Fukaya 1970s+
Futaba Dollatelier, Shibaten Kappa turtle dolls 1950s-60s Japan
– name often marked on clothing and wood stand base
Gofun dolls made of white oyster shell paste 1600s+
Gosho-Ningyo – a Japanese palace or court doll
Haber Brothers doll mark cone symbol Made in Nippon 1917-1922
Harina Gangu doll mark HS in circle Nippon
Hasegawa Gangu Seisakusho doll mark MH (HM) Made in Japan
Hina-Ningyo – is a Japanese Festival doll
Holiday Fair cloth dolls 1960s+
Ichimatsu-Ningyo play dolls unmarked 1931+
Iwai Industries doll mark fish symbol Japan / Korea 1960s-1970s
Japan Import & Export Commission Company dolls 1914-1923
– Nagoya, Japan and NYC USA
Japan T. Co. NY Pat Applied For doll mark, unknown
Kabuto – Japanese warrior or warrior’s helmet
Miyako Boeki Goshi Kaisha dolls 1921-1925
Kanga Doll – mid 1900s Edo Genroku Odori (dance)
Shimizu Katsuko dolls 1900-1930s
Takada Kinosukee dolls 1930s+
Kato Kiyomasa – a Japanese warrior doll
Kokeshi wooden dolls 1860+
Komoda Shoten doll mark KKS inside a star 3004, 4003 Nippon
Kyoto – a Fashion Lady doll ca. 1900+
LJN Toys Ltd. doll mark jester hat N 1970-1995
Magutoko Toys 1945 – present Japan
Maruei-Oki Doll Company 1925-1930
Aiba Kintoro Marugane celluloid dolls 1920s, Tokyo
– doll mark Japanese symbol an umbrella with roman numeral III inside a circle MADE IN NIPPON.
Masudaya Modern Toys doll mark TM in a diamond Made in Nippon,
– Made in Japan founded in 1724, dolls were made ca. 1920s+
Masazo Matsubashi dolls 1900+
Matsuya Ginza doll mark FY M Nippon in 1925+ Tokyo, Japan
Meiji Era Geisha dolls 1850-1912
Hasada Minoru celluloid doll mark club symbol Japan 1950s
Seijiro Misaki dolls 1900 Paris Exposition Silver Metal
M. Nishinotoin Uonotana Mochidzuki dolls 1920-1921 Kyoto
Momijiya Ning Yo-Ten Ltd. doll exporter 1923-1925
Monotaro – a Japanese warrior
Morimura Brothers doll mark MB 1915-1921 Japan
Okiagari-koboshi Company made roly poly toys 1300+
Omoya Company small all bisque dolls 1920s+
Oriental Celluloid Company doll mark three mountains Oriental, Tokyo, Japan 1930s+
Richard Toy Company 1970s+ Hong Kong, NYC
Rosko Tested Toys dolls 1950s-1960s Tokyo
Royal Japan doll mark fleur de lis symbol Japan
Nakajima Seisakusho doll mark turtle symbol N Made in Japan 1919+
Naigai Toy Manufacturing Company 1920s (or misspelled as Nagai)
– made bisque head baby dolls and others
Kusutaroh Nakamura shoulder head doll inventor 1914+
Kusutaroh Nakamura doll mark Patent No. 30441 Nippon in 1914
Shozaburo Nakayama dolls 1929-1940
Totaro Nakazawa dolls 1929-1940s
Nanikawa – Chujiro dolls 1930s-1940s
Ningyo Yamato doll mark YN in diamond Made Japan 1921+
Nishi Doll & Company LTD 1960s Japan
– doll mark ND inside a diamond symbol
Maruyama Toki Yamashiro Ryuhei doll mark double circle with upside down Y peace sign 1920s-1930s
Sakai & Company of Japan doll mark crown on persons head
Sakura Ningyo – is a traditional Japanese cherry doll
Sanko doll mark 1960s+ Japan
Sekiguchi of Japan 1918-present, celluloid, vinyl dolls, plush toys
– celluloid doll mark three leaf clover Made in Japan
– made 1974+ Bebichhichi, Coco, Momoko, Monchhichi dolls
Shiba Company doll mark boy inside circle 1945-present
– 1963 made plastic, vinyl, plush dolls & toys
Sankyo Shoji Company LTD. 1976+
– made Claudie et Claude porcelain musical windup doll
Shikishima Skokai dolls 1929-1930s
Erich Stauffer faux Hummel figurines, vinyl dolls 1953-1970, 1975
– doll mark Designed by Erich Stauffer, two crossed arrows
Suzuki Company crawling wind up doll mark Japan
Tajimi, Takito Taiyo Trading Company doll mark T flower symbol
Tajimi Trading Company 1895, Takito, Ogawa & Company 1905+
– exporters of porcelain including bisque doll heads, merged into Taiyo Trading Company 1919-1920s.
Takara-Tomy doll mark couple holding arms up 1924 or 1955+
Ando Togoro doll mark X inside circle Japan / Nippon
Torakiyo Sato dolls 1893 Tokyo
Toyo Gangu Goshi Kaishi Mina dolls 1923 Nagoya
Tsutsunaka Celluloid Co. Ltd. doll mark sunrise SM inside a triangle made in Japan, made celluloid dolls, 1926+ Osaka, Japan
Yamato-Ningyo – Japanese child dolls
Yamato Importing bisque doll mark FY 76018 in 1917+
– Mikado Baby Japan 6″ doll mark FY
Yoshina Sangyo doll mark butterfly symbol Nippon or Japan
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