Ivory. Japan, 19th cent.


Very rare and cleverly worked pieces. They are outside entirely sculptural with different depictions in compact, masterful composition. The legs are made in shell-form resp. snails, including conch horn and Venus clam, as well with lotus bud, leaf and seed pod. The piece presents at the bottom a rock with shells thrashed by ocean waves. Within partly spiral-formed wave tunnels, one sees carp-like fishes, altogether five, some of which are almost three-dimensional. The second saucer is composed of lotus leaves, lotus blossom, bud and seed pod - and a very tiny frog, most amusingly worked and with widely outspread, long hind legs, trying to look into the vessel!

HEIGHT 5,2 CM, DM 5,3 CM
From a German collection