Posted 7 years ago
Shotimej
(2 items)
Looking for any info on my statues, I've been told they're ivory or bone. I found these in my mothers attic over 20 years ago, she was a huge clloctor and flea market/garage sale freak. I never had the chance to ask her about where they are from or get any info. All I know is there heavy they have cracked over the years (I've tried to keep a glass of water in the hutch with them) and there used to be a Asian design on the bottom that has fallen out, I had it translated about a decade ago and I was told it was the name of the artist and it translated to SPRING MOUNTAIN or MOUNTAIN SPRING. Other than that I am clueless any help would be appreciated. You can text me at 541-661-6611 or email me at shotimej@hotmail.com if it's easier, thank you.
It looks like a Japanese Meiji period ivory okimono, although I cant quite see the striations clearly but it would be typical. Looks like elephant ivory or rather not like marine ivory, the cracking is common especially if its near a central heated wall. There would have been a lacquer plaque with the signature on, I don't know much about Japanese artist though. Hope it helps
it's wonderful whatever it is! you can do a simple test w/ a flame-heated needle. poke i in in an inconspicuous place and if it has a smell like burning hair, then it's ivory. if it smells like plastic, it's resin. something like that... someone else here can probably tell you better...
Thank you, do you know of any site that does appraisal's on something like this? I have two and a jade statue that I've always wanted to get legitimized and appraised.
If you want more information I suggest you look for antique fairs near you or shops that specialise in Asian art, or Auction houses normally have free valuation days (they want to sell items so its in there best interest to tell you what it is and how much its worth. The more it can sell for the more money the auction house makes, although that would be an auction estimate and they don't have an obligation to sale just for the valuation). The okimonos are both ivory and I wouldn't burn ivory (horn smells of hair) or try and tell the difference with temperature, that would come with experience of handling, look more on the base, can you see all of the intersecting, crisscrossing lines only elephant ivory has these striations look at " http://www.chinese-antique-porcelain.com/images/what-is-this-chinese-character-mark-on-my-carved-ivory-teapot-21622223.jpg " you can see the same ones if you zoom in. The quality of the two ivories are good, they do look like larger than normal ones and carved in 1 section, but condition issues along with people complaining antique ivories are killing elephants will lower the value and with out having a personal look I wouldn't want to say.
Thanks for your help ???? I live in a small town and with always working it's hard to get to a city to have them looked at. Hopefully one of these days I'll be able to. I'll have to look for the marking on bottom when I get home to see. They are beautiful and they just sit in the corner of my home so they might. R better off with someone who appreciates them, but I don't lol. It is nice seein info on them though, you said they're okimonos? Is that a style or artist or year?
Okimono (better if I give you a link to a description) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okimono
Meiji period - 1868-1915
You can always send pictures to an antique auction house instead of a valuation day. Do you live in America? I believe there is a ban on selling ivory so you could send a picture to an English auction house and you might get the auction estimate and there basic description.
Yes I live in Oregon. So I'd need to find a English auction house to get an appraisal? Is there a specific one that is best?