Shibayama Ivory Tusk Vase Lamp, Meiji Period
click the photo to enlarge
A shibayama ivory tusk vase mounted as a lamp, Meiji Period, late 19th century, the slightly curved cylindrical tusk inlaid in various materials including Mother-of-pearl and stained ivory, with a cockerel perched on a blossoming tree, a hen and chicks on the ground below beside flowering peony, the reverse with a pair of ducks in flight above further flowering plants beside a lotus pond, the carved wood stand with an ivory mounted gallery above a broad apron pierced with floral panels, supported on four C-scroll legs on a pierced platform base, mounted for electricity, silk shade, 73 cm high (including stand)
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 - Mother-Of-Pearl - Mother-of-pearl, technical name "nacre", is the inner layer of a sea shell. The iridescent colours and strength of this material were widely used in the nineteenth century as an inlay in jewellery, furniture, (especially papier mache furniture) and musical instruments.
In the early 1900s it was used to make pearl buttons. Mother-of-pearl is a soft material that is easily cut or engraved.
Nowadays it is a by-product of the oyster, freshwater pearl mussel and abalone industries.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
A French Art Nouveau cast iron and pressed copper fire Grate. 96 cm high, 77 cm wide, 40 cm deep
Sold by
in
for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
An oak shield back hall chair, English 19th century
Sold by
in
for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
A contemporary twin pedestal dining table
Sold by
in
for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
Ellis pottery orange glaze thumb print lamp with an orange shade. Condition good, some crazing, working order. Height not including shade43 cm
Sold by
in
for
You can display prices in $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.