Featured Chinese ivory carving

Every place the paint has come away & the focus is sharp enough to show it, I see color and grain consistent with elephant ivory.

We wouldn't paint a white marble sculpture either, but it was once SOP. And India has liked to use henna on ivory:

 

I agree with Bronwen, painting and dyeing ivory is not unusual in Asia. I have an antique ivory keris hilt which was dyed black to look like ebony, which was more expensive in the region at the time. Another one, which belonged to one of my ancestors, was painted red to indicate the owner was a member of the royal family.

In my experience lesser quality paint can show this kind of wear in a couple of decades. Chinese resin figurines usually don't have ivory lines, and to have detailed fake ivory lines underneath lesser quality paint doesn't make sense to me.
And yes, there was folk carved ivory in China as well as highly artistically carved ivory.

But ultimately Jal is in the best position to see if it actually is ivory or not.

 

OK...but wear comes from use...like a Netsuke.....unless this was a kids plaything, who's going to be handling this on an ongoing basis...?

 

We never know what kind of life an object has had.

 

Someone with Compulsive behavior disorder.

 

No, but we can surmise that some works of art were less meant to be handled that , say...others.

 

Hi Komokwa,
yes, the paint have a curious wear, If the item is only created to be shown, why the paint is too wear? I don't know.
Related with the ivory lines, it is made on ivory, moreover, in a beautiful big piece, and very well carved. it in not a point where has very discusion.

Thanks for all received opinions!
Jal.

 

You've got to love that face.
I think it is lovely, very charming, and a nice 19th century rendition of a Tang style piece.

 

Dear Any Jewlry,

As you are telling I'm in a better place to see if it is ivory or not. Any way, I'm completly sure about it, and it is not worring me. I'm more interested on the place of fabrication, the year and other information about this piece.

"and to have detailed fake ivory lines underneath lesser quality paint doesn't make sense to me"
Interesting observation!!

Best,
Jal.

 

All points are open to discussion Jai , that's how we find out about an item.
You have it in your hand....we have only photo's.

It's a lovely ivory carving with nice size & good movement.
We may not have all the answers you want....but we try.
Thanks for showing this to us !

 

And we know nothing about the nature of the paint. That it doesn't adhere very well to polished ivory may point to some age. (Also nice that it did not stain it.)

 

In Indonesia they used to add colour pigments to a tree resin called kemalo, and apply that as lacquer. It wears off easily when exposed to sudden temperature changes. This reminds me a bit of kemalo.

 

i thought i just hear this "kemalo" word,do kemalo is used as lacquer in peranakan ware?the red one?

 

I find this forum very active and with very knowledgeable people, thanks for all the opinions received !!!

Jal.

 

Kemalo can be different colours depending on the pigments, but I think it is different from Peranakan lacquer.
Here is red kemalo on the back of a Sumenep, Madura keris, and reddish brown kemalo on a Yogya keris sheath (right):

 

you're such good collector of keris!

 

i luv it when you show your blades !
it also reminds me to go play with mine !!

 

Ok, one more, no kemalo, but simply gorgeously elegant Madura. The hilt is a tumenggungan or regent's hilt with an eternal knot motif. The Naga has a little ruby in its mouth. He is after all the guardian of riches:

 

I think they collect her!

 

The bottom grains of the material look like real ivory, see pictures at https://www.realorrepro.com/article/Ivory-genuine-fake--confusing.

However, the red seal on the bottom contains 2 simplified Chinese characters which means "passed quality assurance inspection". Simplified Chinese characters obviously tell it is in late 20th century, such as 1970s. If it is real ivory, never trade it. One of my local stores was fined with $10000 by the authority for selling ivory item. (one item for $10k penalty)