What kind of carving is an ivory netsuke?
A vintage ivory netsuke of two figures and a lion, early 20th century, intricately carved and depicting a standing figure with an archer’s bow and fly whisk and a crouching figure stabbing the grimacing lion, with himatoshi, and signature underside… A Japanese ivory netsuke of Hotei, lightly stained, modelled standing carrying his large sack.
What kind of puzzle balls are carved in Ivory?
Ivory Mystery Balls / Chinese Puzzle Balls Intricately carved mystery balls (also called Chinese puzzle balls) have been carved since ancient times. The balls consist of concentrically carved spheres that vary in size and number.
What was ivory used for in ancient Japan?
Ivory during the early period was mostly used for inlay and is done in long-established styles. The ancient traditions of Japan were threatened by the arrival of Portuguese, Dutch, and British missionaries and traders in the beginning of the Sixteenth Century.
What kind of ivory is used for crucifixes?
Antique ivory crucifixes were carved in various styles and sizes. The crucifix, consisting of a representation of Jesus’s body adhered to a cross, is mostly used in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox churches.
A vintage ivory netsuke of two figures and a lion, early 20th century, intricately carved and depicting a standing figure with an archer’s bow and fly whisk and a crouching figure stabbing the grimacing lion, with himatoshi, and signature underside… A Japanese ivory netsuke of Hotei, lightly stained, modelled standing carrying his large sack.
Ivory Mystery Balls / Chinese Puzzle Balls Intricately carved mystery balls (also called Chinese puzzle balls) have been carved since ancient times. The balls consist of concentrically carved spheres that vary in size and number.
What was ivory used for in the past?
From pre-historic times to the present, ivory has been among the most prized materials known to man. Sometimes it has been brightly-colored, at other times left pure white. It has been used for crude objects to some of the most intricate and ornamented things ever created.
Antique ivory crucifixes were carved in various styles and sizes. The crucifix, consisting of a representation of Jesus’s body adhered to a cross, is mostly used in the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox churches.
How to determine the value of ivory carvings?
To see if your carving was fashioned from valuable mammoth tusk, look for a bluish tinge caused by thousands of years of exposure to minerals in the soil. Other types of ivory may still bring lofty prices, but mammoth tusk carvings remain highly collectible due to their rarity.
How can you tell when a figurine was made in Japan?
Examine the figurine for markings. Older porcelain and ivory figurines (before 1891) will be marked with the Japanese characters of the maker’s name. From 1891 to 1921 the mark “Nippon” was used for export pieces. The mark “Japan” denotes a piece dating from 1921 to 1941. After 1941, pieces were marked “Made In Japan.”
Can a mammoth ivory carving be brought into the US?
Mammoth ivory carvings can be brought into the United States legally; new ivory from African elephants has been banned from import into America since 1989. Illegal carvings, offered for sale on the Internet as bone instead of ivory, often come from China. Check the origin of the ivory carving.
