Japanese Theater Doll with Matchlock Gun, Chushingura 47 Ronin
The doll is rare. I hadn't seen any doll with a matchlock gun yet. Condition: The arm holding the gun (little heavy) is loose and it appears that repetitive putting the arm back on has caused some damage to the old textile on the sleeve and shoulder area. To prevent further damages, the arm will not be attached during the shipment. The doll is 15 inches tall on stands, 11 1/4 inches tall without.
EXTRA: We found an interesting article (originally in Japanese Wikipedia) during the research. I thought it was worth mentioning. The article was from a book, THE MAN WHO SAVED KABUKI: Faubion Bowers and Theatre Censorship in Occupied Japan by Shiro Okamoto, translated/Adapted by Samuel L. Leiter
There was much censorship placed on Japanese arts during the occupation by the Americans after WWII. They considered the kaburi plays to have strong ties to militarism. There was one American soldier who rescued Kabuki by bridging the huge gap between the two different cultures.
Before the war began, Major Faubion Bowers saw Kabuki in 1940 when he was a 23 year old post graduate on his way to the Netherlands East Indies. During his short stay in Tokyo, he walked into a Kabuki theater mistaking it for a temple. He watched "Kanadehon Chushingura" and was so impressed with the play that he extended his stay to a year. After returning home, he took up intensive Japanese language classes in San Francisco. He went back to Japan when the war ended, but this time as an assistant to General MacArthur. He was the initial translator between General MacArther and the emperor. He took a pay cut when he resigned from the post requesting to work where he could control the censorship. He understood Kabuki as a human drama. He lifted one play after the others from being censored. When it came to "Chushingura" which involves Kamikaze like royalty and bloody seppuku, he suggested Mr. Ohya (from Shochiku) what they need to do; present it with the best casts to the Americans. He also requested that Gyokubai to be included in the casts.
Two years after the war ended on November, 1947, "Kanadehon Chushingura" opened in Tokyo with the best possible casts whom Major Bowers picked. It was held at a time when Tokyo was mostly destroyed and many were lost and starving. Little entertainment was available to the American GIs. Kikugoro Onoe VI played this Kanpei character. The last photo #12 here was copied from my old book published in the Taisho period. The Kikugoro in the photo may possibly be Kikugoro V, the father to Kikugoro VI.
Major Bowers did much more than saving Kabuki for the people. The Kabuki actors themselves truly devoted their lives. Gyokubai died next year and three others (out of 12) including Kikugoro VI in the following year. Chushingura is a good example to understand Japanese sentiment even today. He must have been the best ambassador for the Japanese when understanding was badly needed.
