Description: A pair of similar Japanese figures, wearing traditional dress, & holding an open book in their left hand (photographs 1 & 2). The hat, head, neck, & hands of both figures are painted, their clothes & book are painted & glazed, & their base is not painted or glazed (photographs 1 to 10). The figures are both wearing a green & red hat on top of their head, which has a red tassel on the top, & a brown strap around each figures chin. The figures have detailed facial features, & black hair. There is a small hole through the left & right sides of the necks of both figures (photographs 1, 7 & 8). Figure 1 has a thin horizontal metal wire located through both neck holes (left, photographs 1, 7 & 8), while figure 2 has a thin angled metal wire through it's neck holes (right, photographs 1, 7 & 8). There is another small hole through the bottom of the neck of both figures, which has a vertical metal wire located through it, with a metal weight on the end of the wire (photographs 7 & 8). The interior of the body of both figures is hollow, with an opening at the top of the body, in it's centre (photograph 6). The head & neck of both figures, is a separate piece from it's body, & the neck with it's vertical metal wire & weight, fits though the opening in the top of the body (photographs 1, & 6 to 8). The thin horizontal metal wire through the neck of figure 1 (left, photographs 1, 7 & 8), rests in a small groove, positioned on either side of the opening, at the top of it's body. The thin angled metal wire through the neck of figure 2 (right, photographs 1, 7 & 8), likewise, rests in a small groove, positioned on either side of the opening, at the top of it's body. When the head of either figure is touched, the weight hanging from the bottom it's neck, causes the horizontal or angled metal wire to rotate backwards & forwards in it's groove. This motion also moves the figure's head backwards & forwards, which replicates the nodding of a head.

The hollow bodies of both figures are clothed in traditional Japanese dress, with a white undergarment around the neck opening, & a light yellow happi worn around the figure's upper body & arms (photographs 1 to 6). The edges of the opening at the front & top of the happi, include a thick black collar, while each figure wears a large brown garment, resembling a blanket, around their waist & legs. This brown garment has a turquoise & white decorative pattern around it's top edge, & is held around the figure's waist by a tied white belt (photographs 1 to 4, & 10). The hands of each figure, are visible at the bottom of the happi's left & right sleeves (photographs 1 & 10). The insides of the happi sleeves for figure 1 (left, photograph 1) are light yellow, while the insides of the happi sleeves for figure 2 (right, photograph 2) are a red / brown colour. There is an open white book held in each figure's left hand, with black written script on the open pages (photographs 1 & 10). The script reportedly mentions Tokyo, & the name of a famous Japanese pottery maker. The top & bottom edges of the pages, either have a white, light grey or pink colour. The base of each figure's body is not painted or glazed, & has a predominantly horizontal orientation, which enables the figure to sit upright (photographs 1 & 9). The maker's mark is located near the centre of each figure's base (photograph 9).

                  

Condition: The paint covering the hat, head, neck, & hands of both figures has worn with age, as these surfaces are not glazed (photographs 1 to 5, 7 & 8, & 10). The neck of figure 1 (left, photographs 1, 7 & 8) has a crack running along it's front & sides, which has previously been repaired. The left side of the neck of figure 2 (right, photographs 1 & 7), is missing a piece of pottery. The horizontal metal wire through the neck of figure 1 (left, photographs 1, 7 & 8), is considerably longer then the angled metal wire through the neck of figure 2 (right, photographs 1, 7 & 8). A small piece of pottery is missing from the left hand thumb of both figures (photographs 1 & 10). Small areas of paint & glaze are also missing from both figures clothes & book, due to wear (photographs 1 to 8, & 10).   

Dimensions: The height of figure 1 (left, photograph 1) is 13.7 cm, the length 9.9 cm, the width 9.5 cm, & the weight 298 g. The height of figure 2 (right, photograph 1) is 13.8 cm, the length 9.9 cm, the width 9.5 cm, & the weight 311 g. The total weight of the two figures is 609 g (photographs 1 & 2).