Very little is known about the Yamato Importing Company of Japan who is believed to have been founded before 1917, as Foulds and Freure of New York city were apparently importing their dolls into the United States at that time.

According to a reference source Yamato's doll mark is believed to be the initials FY or FY intertwined, with or without a mold number and usually with the word Nippon in the mark.

The FY mark is found on bisque socket or shoulder head dolly face dolls with composition jointed or kid bodies, character dolls, solid dome head baby dolls, pouty dolls and a beautiful Oriental character doll (shown left and below).

The Japanese doll makers stepped in to supply bisque head dolls to the world, during World War 1, as they were no longer available from the German doll makers. This may explain 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 again available, most of the Japanese bisque doll production ceased.

ca. 1920s Yamato Importing Company Oriental character doll, is 12 inches tall, has 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.

She's wearing a floral wired ribbon head piece, pink and pale blue satin embroidered long sleeve shirt and pale blue pants.

Yamato Importing Oriental doll mark FY Nippon 202

Yamato Importing Company Doll Marks Identified

Yamato Importing doll mark FY Nippon 104	Yamato Importing doll mark FY Nippon 204	Yamato Importing doll mark FY Nippon 303
Yamato Importing doll mark FY intertwined No 76018 Nippon 405	Yamato Importing doll mark FY Nippon 506	Yamato Importing doll mark FY intertwined No 76018 Nippon 601
Yamato Importing doll mark FY intertwined No 76018 Nippon 2004	Yamato Importing doll mark FY intertwined No 76018 Nippon	Yamato Importing doll mark FY intertwined under lined N

Yamato Importing Doll Mold Numbers Identified

FY 20/0, 30/3, 30/6, 30/8, 76018

Series; FY 100, 200, 300 400, 500, 600, 900, 1600, 2000

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