Mary Pickford's Hagoita Paddle
The decor at Pickfair was heavily influenced by both French and Oriental design and items. In fact, the upper level of Pickfair was the Oriental floor. Mary and Doug had several of these Hagoita paddles (used to play hanetsuki if not for decor). Probably either purchased or gifted to them during their trips to Europe and Asia. Japanese people think playing hanetsuki is a way to drive away evil spirits because the movement of the hagoita is similar to the harau action (a Japanese expression meaning “to drive away”). Thus playing hanetsuki with hagoita is often used as a charm against evil. Mary was very spiritual and could be a reason she took a liking to these paddles.
Provenance: Mary Pickford 1981 Auction (initially purchased by Debbie Reynolds).
