Featured Help with CARVED BONE? Chinese? Man Figure.

Greetings! I acquired this carved figure from the estate of a friend's uncle. He came from Chile and had many items related to there.
As near as I can tell, this is tea-stained bone carving. It is just shy of 12" tall, + another 2" for the stand.
The closest thing to it that I have seen was a Chinese carved man.
I'd appreciate any and all info and comments from you who know a lot more about this than I do!

 

He is a rather nice example of a type of Chinese bone carving which was usually made in pairs, representing an emperor and empress. Elaborate versions were made in ivory. Examples of the simpler forms made of bone (probably ox/cow leg bones) seem to have been commonly produced around the first half of the 20th century. Some of the emperors appear to have separate hats, and I suspect the two pins on the head of your figure may have held on a hat, now missing.

Here is a pair sold on catawiki -


https://www.catawiki.com/es/l/85842...press-figurines-china-first-half-20th-century

You can see other examples with this google image search (which also includes many of the finer ivory carvings) -

https://www.google.com/search?q=Chi...d=2ahUKEwit9I-nqYmEAxUp7ckDHbGqCKYQBXoECAEQQA

 

Same guy, but no useful information ...
https://www.etsy.com/listing/150524...MIj-evha-JhAMVOCmtBh37TQdtEAQYAiABEgIXl_D_BwE

 

definitely has an older look to it......
& I can't find the Emperor holding a bird....

nice find Roaring...

 

I don't think the man is meant to be an emperor (or the woman an empress). He is bare chested, which emperors never are, the bird is not an attribute of an emperor, and the hat is not an emperor's hat.

 

Attempt 2.0 - I have not yet found a definitive identification of these figures (which is what I should have said in the first place). Many have been described as emperor and empress, probably just because that sounds cool. This morning I have found a few more, some just described as "a couple", others as "ancestors", some as fishermen with appropriate gear and fish. It may be that they were made for export and, as I have found when trying to research Chinese sewing baskets, there is little interest in documenting the history of such common/popular objects.

"Ancestors" on similar stands:
https://asiabarong.com/product/ancestors-bone-pair/

"Couple", also on similar stands:


A fisherman with a cormorant and a fish:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304899300453

Another fisherman:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1636059710...nI1%2FkAxyTzxQ%3D%3D|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:4429486

 

I would think that the two bone assembly and distinct flared 4 corner base , might be a regional style...

 

Thank you all for your input. I am always impressed with the way Google shows some of you more than they do me! That, added to your own extensive knowledge, always helps me out.
Like many such objects, I guess there will be some questions unanswered. At least we agree it is some sort of Chinese carved bone!