Exquisite Qing Dynasty Ivory Flower Basket with Elaborate Carvings
click the photo to enlarge
An exceptional ivory flower basket, Qianlong period, Qing Dynasty, (1736-1795), this exquisite ivory flower basket marvels with its dental carving finesse, particularly the Art of hollow carving. Ivory slices, ground to sheer thinness and patterned, narrate stories through relief carved flowers, birds, figures, and landscapes. The labor-intensive creation involves dozens of hollow pieces, culminating in an elaborate yet ingeniously crafted design. A playful, citrus-knobbed conical hat tops it off, while six flower-framed sections below unfold with decorative motifs and sixteen vivid scenes of Qing dynasty life, showcasing nearly a hundred characters with distinct expressions. Harmonious and balanced, this piece epitomizes the refined Qing palace taste. A similar ivory flower basket fetched 402,500 Rmb at Poly Auction's 2011 autumn sale (lot 7267). Similar example: an exceptional ivory flower basket, Poly auction, Beijing, 7 Dec 2011, lot 7267, 32.5 cm (width) 29 cm high
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
This item has been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.
- Qing Dynasty - The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. It was established by the Manchu people, who originated from the northeastern region of China. The Qing Dynasty was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.
- Ivory - Ivory is a hard white material that comes from the tusks of elephants, mammoth, walrus and boar, or from the teeth of hippopotamus and whales. The ivory from the African elephant is the most prized source of ivory. Although the mammoth is extinct, tusks are still being unearthed in Russia and offered for sale.
Ivory has been used since the earliest times as a material for sculpture of small items, both in Europe and the east, principally China and Japan.
In Asia ivory has been carved for netsuke, seals, okimono, card cases, fan supports, animals and other figures and even as carved tusks.
In the last 200 years in Europe ivory has been used to carve figures, for elaborate tankards, snuff boxes, cane handles, embroidery and sewing accessories, in jewellery and as inlay on furniture. Its more practical uses include being used for billiard balls, buttons, and a veneers on the top of piano keys.
The use and trade of elephant ivory have become controversial because they have contributed to Due to the decline in elephant populations because of the trade in ivory, the Asian elephant was placed on Appendix One of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), in 1975, and in January 1990, the African elephant was similarly listed. Under Appendix One, international trade in Asian or African elephant ivory between member countries is forbidden. Unlike trade in elephant tusks, trade in mammoth tusks is legal.
Since the invention of plastics, there have been many attempts to create an artificial ivory - Ming Dynasty - The Ming Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. It succeeded the Yuan Dynasty and preceded the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, a former Buddhist monk who became a rebel leader and eventually overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, China experienced a period of relative stability and prosperity. The government was centralized and bureaucratic, with the emperor at the top of the hierarchy. The Ming Dynasty is known for its cultural achievements, including the development of porcelain, the invention of movable type printing, and the construction of the Great Wall of China.
This item has been included into following indexes: