Three ivory Okimonos, one of a man and boy musicians, one of…
click the photo to enlarge
Three ivory Okimonos, one of a man and boy musicians, one of nude woman and the other man and boy, each with tinted decoration and signed on base. 5 cm high approx. Meiji Period (1868-1911)

You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.

Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item

When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
  • Ivory - Ivory is a hard white material that comes from the tusks of elephants, mammoth, walrus and boar, or from the teeth of hippopotamus and whales. The ivory from the African elephant is the most prized source of ivory. Although the mammoth is extinct, tusks are still being unearthed in Russia and offered for sale.

    Ivory has been used since the earliest times as a material for sculpture of small items, both in Europe and the east, principally China and Japan.

    In Asia ivory has been carved for netsuke, seals, okimono, card cases, fan supports, animals and other figures and even as carved tusks.

    In the last 200 years in Europe ivory has been used to carve figures, for elaborate tankards, snuff boxes, cane handles, embroidery and sewing accessories, in jewellery and as inlay on furniture. Its more practical uses include being used for billiard balls, buttons, and a veneers on the top of piano keys.

    The use and trade of elephant ivory have become controversial because they have contributed to Due to the decline in elephant populations because of the trade in ivory, the Asian elephant was placed on Appendix One of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), in 1975, and in January 1990, the African elephant was similarly listed. Under Appendix One, international trade in Asian or African elephant ivory between member countries is forbidden. Unlike trade in elephant tusks, trade in mammoth tusks is legal.

    Since the invention of plastics, there have been many attempts to create an artificial ivory

This item has been included into following indexes:

Visually similar items

A pair gold Nugett stud earrings; with 18ct gold post and butterflies. Wt. 3.6g.

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

An 18ct three-colour gold flower dress ring and pair of ear-clips. (2) total wt 21.6g

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A green Buddha with one hand holding a lotus flower and the other outstretched. Provenance: Purchased 1897-99 in (Tibet) then part of China and is sold on behalf the purchaser's great grandson. Minor restoration, 39 cm high

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.

A Chinese carved wood Bodhisattva seated on a Sacred lion, Traces of pigment, Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644, with a beautiful full face sits aloft the lion in the Royal ease posture, the crown centred above the eye of higher consciousness, the hands in the mudra

Sold by in for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.