Dancing man cast iron figure by Keiten Takahashi, circa 1950s

This small cast iron okimono is about 4.25" high. It bears the mark of well known Japanese metal artist Keiten Takahashi. I think it depicts the "Fool's Dance" commonly performed at the Awa Dance Festival in Japan. Not sure if it was part of a set or a solitary piece. His work was often accompanied by a tomobako but this piece is on its own. His work often bore this rough, rusty finish.

Born in 1920 in Yamagata City, Miyagi Prefecture, Keiten Takahashi inherited his family's foundry business at the age of 19 in 1938. He first studied metal casting under Nagano Tetsushi in 1950. His work was first accepted into the government-sponsored 7th Nitten exhibition in 1951. In 1963, he won the encouragement prize at the Nihon Dento Kogei Ten (Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition) and from 1972 served as a judge for the exhibition. He presented his work to both the Showa Emperor and the Heisei Emperor on the occasions of their visits to Yamagata. In 1979, his works were presented to the Crown Prince of Japan. In 1996, Takahashi Keiten was designated Juyo Mukei Bunkazai or Important Intangible Cultural Asset (commonly known as a Living National Treasure). He died in 2009.