Takahashi Birds

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Takahashi Birds

Created by Yoneguma and Kiyoka Takahashi, these marvelous wood birds are miniature works of art. The Takahashi family were among many Japanese-Americans confined in Poston Camp, AZ after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

While in the camp, they participated in a craft class where they learned to carve and paint small birds and after release (3 1/2 years later) they turned this craft into a family business that continued for 40 years.

Yoneguma carved the birds out of white holly wood, starting with a jig saw, then smoothing and sanding the bird. When done, Kiyoka painted the birds (using an Audubon bird book for reference) with watercolors using fine camel hair brushes. 10 coats of lacquer were then applied.

A good day's production was 10 birds. The birds were mostly sold via word of mouth, though a couple of department stores (such as Gump's) carried them. Production was mostly lapel pins, but earrings were also made. Price on the birds in the early days was $2, but in the 1980s, the birds sold for $40.

Initially more than 100 species were made, both male and female, but eventually about 25 different birds were offered regularly for sale.

Some birds created before the 1970s have the initials K.T.; after 1970, the initials K&Y.T. with the date appear. Some are dated without initials.

There were copies made in the 1970s; these can most easily be identified by the manner in which the pin was attached. The Takahashi birds use small push pins while the repro pin backs are screwed into the wood.

Date(s): April 9, 2006. Album by Cathy Gordon. 1 - 51 of 51 Total. 15776 Visits.

Sign the Guestbook. Displaying 5 of 12 entries.

thank you for the photos and the posted comments! I have a hummingbird, but have not been successful finding it on any site
as a Takahashi, I am pretty sure it is the pinback is applied with the push pins mentioned..I imagine they did many hummingbirds. Any help would be appreciated. Cay
- cay fisher, Sat, 21 Mar 2009 1:28PM

The Takahashis used to live down the street from me, I use to love hearing my mom tell me their story of creating the birds.

I have 15 birds, 9 signed, 13 in orignial box and card.

You should of seen the birds that they made when they were in the camps, large eagles, beautiful.
- christine reeder-haywood, Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:34PM

nice presentation
and w wonderful collection
Manon Kavesky
- manonKavesky | www.thenowhouse.com, Sun, 21 Dec 2008 2:00PM

Many of the people who were relocated at the Poston Relocation Center in Poston, Arizona during 1942-1945 learned the craft of carving animals and making these bird pins to pass time.
- Dianne K | http://www.postonalliance.org, Sun, 2 Mar 2008 7:33PM

Did anybody except Takahashi make similar birds? I have a pair of little wooden bird pins that were my grandmother's; the painting is not as vivid as your Takahashis and the pin back is not attached with either push pins or screws; it was apparently set into a dollop of varnish and allowed to dry. I know my grandmother had these birds in the 1950s; I do not know whether they were a gift from my aunt (who was living in Sacramento in the late 1940s), my father (who was in Korea at the end of WWII), or where else they could have come from. I suspect they're either knockoffs (in which case they're OLD knockoffs) or independent creations.
- Janet Story, Tue, 5 Feb 2008 3:35PM

More guestbook entries...

1 Takahashi hummingbirds except for the bottom one.	2 Takahashi Northern Cardinals -- female on right.	3 Takahashi pheasants: top: ? Bottom: Lady Amhearst pheasant (from card)
4 Takahashi [bird type?]	5 Takahashi bluebirds.	6 Takahashi chickadees -- TL: Chestnut-backed TR and BR: Black-capped
7 Takahashi painted bunting	8 Takahashi parakeet	9 Takahashi painted bunting.
10 Takahashi redpoll	11 Japanese POW-carved American robin	12 Takahashi Western screech owl
13 Group of 4 birds that are not Takahashi birds. All have the pinbacks with screws. Details are not so finely painted as a Takahashi and the lacquer isn't as shiny.	14 K.T. signature. Note the correct pin attachments -- small push-pins.	15 Pin back of bird copied to look like a Takahashi. According to Carol Takahashi, any bird with screws holding the pinback is NOT a Takahashi. These were made in the 1970s.
16 Another knock-off -- bluejay	17 Sold on eBay: Baltimore oriole	18 Sold on eBay: Canada goose
19 Comparison of two blue jays. Top is knock-off, bottom is Takahashi. Some difference from the front: - coloration, and paint on the T is more sophisticated in style - wing on the K-O has some relief while the T is smooth - branch on the K-O is straight while the T is crooked and more natural	20 Back comparison of the knock-off (top) and Takahashi (bottom). Most important thing to note is the use of screws to affix the pin back on the KO versus the push pins on the T. The T is signed, but this was inconsistent. According to Carol Takahashi, her grandmother only put her initials on "hte best" birds.	21 My Takahashi bird tree made by my honey for my birthday. Still plenty of room for more birds!
22 Another view of the bird tree in its corner -- real wood trunk!	23 Takahashi owl	24 Takahashi Green Kingfisher
25 Takahashi roadrunner.	26 Takahashi ?	27 Takahashi female Scarlett Tanager.
28 Takahashi Goose	29 Takahashi robin.	30 Takahashi red-headed woodpecker.
31 Takahashi Blue Jay with reddish belly feathers. Marked K.T. 1980.	32 Takahashi Golden Crown Kinglet	33 Takahashi gray owl.
34 Takahashi Kingfisher (facing right).	35 Takahashi Lady Pheasant marked K.T. 1981.	36 Takahashi Ring-Necked Pheasant marked K.T. 1981.
37 Takahashi Meadowlark marked K.T. 1981.	38 Takahashi pink Cockatoo marked K.T.	39 Takahashi Female Thrush.
40 Takahashi Male Thrush.	41 Takahashi Wren marked K.T. Unusual with its cocked head.	42 Takahashi Rivoli Hummingbird marked K.T. 1982.
43 Takahashi male Fairy Wren	44	45
46	47	48
49	50	51 Takahashi blue jay earrings RARE!

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