Featured Ivory? Necklace Japan

Hi All,
Necklace with geisha girl, she is 2"L, the necklace hangs 16". Looks to be ivory to me, or could it be bone? Japanese? Idea on age? I see many, they say Chinese and/or Japanese, none seem to know the age.
lots of questions, any information appreciated.
thanks for looking

 

Necklace looks like it and the Geisha have the requisite Schreger lines, which points to Ivory.......but wait for others.....looks like you're on a roll with the Good Stuff, CXGirl!!!!!!!! Plus you've got knots in between to help prevent chipping!! VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

nice ivory......I'd say 1980's....but I could be off...a little..

 

I agree, 1980s and ivory. I saw these in quality stores when I was in New York in 1982. I was amazed, because at that time selling new ivory was already frowned upon here in the Netherlands.

The hairstyle, and the way the kimono is worn are not the geisha way btw. A Geisha has an elaborate hairstyle and a low neckline at the back of her kimono, as if someone pulled the kimono down at the back. It was thought to be seductive.
Although poor girls were sold to geisha houses at an early age, I hope the girls who had to entertain men were not this young. The training certainly lasted years.
Yours is just a little Japanese girl wearing a kimono. With fan.

 

Undoubtedly ivory. Now we need someone who can distinguish Chinese from Japanese. Figure looks like a Japanese girl, not a geisha, but no guarantee it's not a Chinese copy.

Edit: AJ got there first. It has not been legal to sell non-antique ivory in the US since around 1977 (I know someone will check & correct my memory.)

 

Edit: Thanks AJ.....I like to live and learn!!!! Edit again: & Bronwen!!

 

Retail stores here in the '80s were indeed filled with ivory jewelry, it was legal. Not at all able to even attempt an outline of the often changing rules and regulations of domestic and international ivory trade over the last several decades, but in very general terms, new Asian elephant ivory was banned by CITES in 1975, but African elephant ivory could still be legally obtained, by 1989 the poaching had so decimated the elephant population that a complete international trade ban was instituted. There were and are continuing changes, varying by country, and in the US, by state as well...

~Cheryl

 

The back of a geisha, the kimono is pulled down and the top of her back is painted white, just like her face.


The regular way of wearing a kimono. Many Japanese women wear kimonos for special occasions, but very few are geishas.
So a Japanese woman or girl in traditional dress is simply a Japanese woman or girl in traditional dress, not a geisha.

 

Thanks for all the replies folks

thanks for taking the time to explain this AJ, hopefully it will sink into my little grey cells
I'll donate this back, I try an avoid ivory

 

Naah...keep it !
It is what it is....and it's nice ivory !!
U can use it to compare against celuloid and french ivory...or fake ivory....