Japanese Ivory

[ryan27]

Any knowledge of this as far as age/use/value

[Ipcress]

Looks fairly recent and i wouldn't be convinced it was ivory but the light in the pics is poor - any chance of a close up in better light, please  ?

[ghopper1924]

Looks like earthenware.

[Ipcress]

Could be treated ox bone, often a cheap alternative to ivory.

[ryan27]

This family was in japan in the early 1900s I wanna say 20-30 if that helps. I do also know they traveled a lot so they could have gone other times that I dont know about. I do know for sure it was not made this cannot be post 1970

[ryan27]

Initials are carved on both pieces if that helps in any way

[Ipcress]

Better pictures have helped

Are you sure they didn't visit the Cantonese area of China, too ? Although both countries copied each others antiquities.

Appears to be some grain there and looks more like ivory in the better light.

I catalogued this Cantonese sewing / work box for auction. It was made c1840 and the quality and detail was superb



Close up of one of the panels. Note that the figures were miniscule yet still detailed with features.

[greenacres]

I have a cinnabar ginger jar that looks similar to the box.

[mart]

The enlargements are a blur but I could see some faint veining on the underside of the top !! Too blurry to see if it showed the crosshatching of ivory but I don`t think it does !! The veining would make me think it was carved alabaster !!
You didnt say how big this is but it looks like a simple trinket box !! Not uncommon !!