Featured Japanese (?) face carving

This wasn't cheap, but maybe it's valuable...

What is it?

It's just under 6" tall and about 2" 'thick.' It's very heavy wood--- dense. Maybe ironwood? The eyes and mark on the back might be bone, but more likely are something else.

It sits straight on its base and the two holes on the back connect, so a cord for a wall hanging would work too.

Thank you for any info and opinions as to age.

 

I think ,maybe , It shoulda bin cheap...??

 

Hmm. Why's that?

 

at 6x2, and heavy....I'm not seeing what use it would have served.
the inlayed siggy is a nice touch.....though..

 

He may be a type of Nio/Nioh guardian - fierce looking sculptures standing at the entrance to Buddhist temples.



This ebay item from a Japanese seller explains that small mask versions are sometimes placed at the entrance to Japanese homes -

https://www.ebay.com/itm/185894945501

 

I like it, tho' it's grotesque...an' seems un-Japanese.
Pronounced wide-nose, long ear-lobes...SE Asia?

 

You're right: this seems decorative rather than functional.

Though some variation on this seems possible too. I guess in cases like this, it'd be both decorative and functional.

Thanks for the comments.

 

Hi:

Could be one of the Buddhist guardians mentioned above. In Chinese they are called Generals Heng and Ha. However, it could also simply be the face of a Chinese demon. Traditionally, they look like this:

I think it is just a decorative item--although you might not consider it decorative!

It looks like it is either Chinese or Japanese. I lean towards Chinese, especially because of the seal (which I cannot decipher but has to do with the artist, not the subject).

Greg

 

Thank you for the comments!

 

Very interesting topic @2manybooks. This website seems especially informative:

https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/nio.shtml