Gourd Cricket Cage with Wooden Rim and Tortoise Shell Lid
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.
- Tortoiseshell - Tortoiseshell is a translucent material that comes from the horny carapace of a certain types of turtles, including the hawksbill turtle. It is often therefore mounted on a colour underground - often red - or inlaid with gold or silver thread, as seen in Boulle furniture.
The texture and colour nuances of the material are extremely important. Heated tortoiseshell can easily be formed into various shapes. Like other natural materials, tortoiseshell becomes more beautiful with use. In a time before plastic, tortoiseshell was widely used for small objects such as combs and powder compacts.
In 1973, the trade of tortoiseshell worldwide was banned under CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). Prior to importing or exporting items containing tortoiseshell a CITES permit must be obtained. Tortoiseshell items cannot be traded on Ebay.
"Faux tortoiseshell", another case of man initiating nature, is made from old-style plastics such as celluloid and cellulos and is coloured with red, yellow and brown spots to imitate the genuine article. It is commonly used in glasses frames, musical instruments and costume jewellery.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
A silver Shan betel nut container and cover, Burma, 19th/20th century, 23 cm diameter, fitted box
Wanda Garnsey, faceted pot with flat lid, stoneware with incised design, matte celadon glaze, artist's stamp impressed to the base. Height 13 cm
A Victorian gilt bird automata base with clockwork mechanism, base shaped like a column, with old wooden bird no feathers. Diameter 29 cm
A Chinese cricket cage, gourd base, carved and pierced ivory lid, 19th/20th century, 17 cm high