Morimura Brothers Dolls 1915+, Yamato Dolls, Froebel-Kan Dolls Japan Nippon

During world war I (1914-1918), Japanese doll makers stepped in to supply bisque head dolls that were no longer available from the German doll market.  This explains why so many dolls made in Japan at this time, are copies of German doll molds. After the war when supplies of German dolls were available again, most of the Japanese bisque doll production ceased.

ca. 1918 Morimura Bros. bisque head character Baby doll 20″, glass eyes, open mouth with teeth, five piece composition baby bent limb body, doll mark MB symbol Japan 22.

Morimura Brothers Bisque Dolls 1915+ Japan, Nippon

Morimura Brothers (1876-1941) was a Japanese import house based in New York City, NY. They supplied bisque head German like copies of dolls to the American market and others, during World War I 1914-1918 and after until 1921.

Morimura imported two basic types of bisque head dolls; Character Babies or Dolly faced dolls. They also sold All Bisque dolls, celluloid dolls, China head dolls with nanking cotton bodies, composition dolls and dolls made of rubber.

In 1921 Morimura turned their import department over to the Langfelder, Homma & Hayward Company, who continued to import Japan bisque head dolls. The Langfelder patented Dolly doll has stationary legs, molded clothing and a diamond shaped label.

Yamato – Froebel-Kan

Morimura Brothers Dolls Identified

Morimura Doll Mold Numbers Identified

1, 2, 3-4/0, 3-5, 3-7, 3-12, 4, 5, 6, 8, 22, 50, 32, 497, 1603

Additional Morimura Doll Names, Dates, Labels

1916-1922 Queue San Baby Oriental all bisque doll, 1917-1921 Dolly all bisque bathing doll, My Darling doll, 1918-1919 The Bester doll of composition made by the Bester Doll Manufacturing Company, 1919 Baby Darling doll and Baby Belle all bisque doll, Baby Ella doll, Baby O’ Mine doll, 1919-1921 Baby Rose all bisque doll mold 497, 1920-1921 Cho-Cho San all bisque doll with molded cap, My Sweetheart doll, First Prize all bisque doll, Nanking dolls (China head dolls with “nanking” cotton bodies), Sonny doll all bisque.

ca. 1920s Yamato Importing Asian, Oriental character doll, 12″ tall, a bisque socket head, brown glass eyes, multi stroke painted eyebrows, upper and lower painted eye lashes, open closed mouth with teeth on a five piece composition jointed body, doll mark FY Nippon 202. The doll is wearing an original floral wired ribbon head piece, pink and pale blue satin embroidered long sleeve shirt and pale blue pants.

Yamato Importing Company Bisque Dolls 1917+ Nippon

Little is known about the Yamato Importing Company of Japan. Yamato was founded before 1917, as Foulds and Freure of New York City were importing Yamato dolls to the United States.

Yamato’s doll mark is FY or FY initials intertwined, inside a triangle with or without a mold number and usually with the word Nippon. The FY mark is found on bisque socket or shoulder head German like dolly face dolls with composition jointed or kid bodies, character dolls, solid dome head baby dolls, pouty dolls and a beautiful Asian or Oriental character doll, as shown.

Yamato doll mark FY Nippon 202

Yamato Importing Doll Mold Numbers Identified

FY Nippon 20/0, 30/3, 30/6, 30/8, FY 76018 Nippon.
Series; FY 100, 200, 300 400, 500, 600, 900, 1600, 2000.

ca. 1920 Froebel-Kan bisque Asian, Oriental Boy doll, 14″, glass sleep eyes, open mouth, five piece composition jointed baby body, doll mark Froebel-Kan Tokyo. Original clothing red satin embroidered cap, long sleeve jacket and black pants and shoes.

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Good luck finding a Froebel-Kan antique doll for sale, the bisque dolls are very rare.

Froebel-Kan Bisque Dolls 1909+ Japan, Nippon

Froebel-Kan or Froebel House was founded in Tokyo, Japan by Jiro Takaichi in 1909 and is best known as a publisher of children’s educational books and materials. Froebel-Kan patented synthetic glass eyes in 1915, that were used in their bisque head dolls, Morimura Brothers also produced some Frobel-Kan bisque dolls and probably other Japan doll makers. Across the Internet today, you will find many Froebel-Kan children’s educational materials. Antique bisque dolls – not so much – to date we have only found three dolls. Froebel-Kan high quality dressed bisque dolls are very rare and are well marked, making identification certain.

Froebel-Kan doll mark triangle symbol, Froebel-Kan, Tokyo, A 11