Featured Japanese Figurine

Here's the cover of the catalog I mentioned:

Certainly a cheerful group.

Looking through the catalog, there is a section of okimono, followed by a section of netsuke, followed by these, described only as "ivory figures". This suggests there is some nicety in the definition of okimono of which I am unaware. The okimono shown here are usually smaller (though not always) and may be carved from a single piece of ivory (though I have my doubts on some of them). They are also generally less expensive (due to size?). At an idle guess, okimono may refer to netsuke-like carvings that are not actually netsuke, whereas these could not be confused with netsuke.

 

They were made this way, different pieces assembled with tiny pegs
My mother bought several during a trip to Japan in 1957, I sold them in 2000 for around 120€ each (it was in Francs then)

 

Striking photo of the group!!!

 

Makes it a catalog easy to remember.

 

I’ve never tried, but I would guess a reputable auction house would ask for provenance documentation on ivory these days. The link you show is for a longtime collector who may have had such documentation. But do please let us know if you contact an auction house to let us know what they say about necessary documentation and value these days.

 

They probably charge more than it's worth, but:

https://ivoryexperts.com/

 

As stated above, I have no interest in selling this piece. I just wanted some information and a ballpark value, which I now have, thanks to all these attentive responses.

On the topic of selling ivory, I frequent an auction house here in my U.S. state that will happily sell ivory to in-state residents, but to in-state residents only. I haven't purchased any, but I'm not aware that any provenance is given to the new buyer. I do not know what kind of provenance the auctioneer needs, provided that the piece is sold in-state. In any case, it's obviously not an unsurmountable hurdle.

 

Federal law applies only to import/export & interstate sales. If intrastate sales are allowed where you live, don't think any documentation is required.