Viper Vase

[KevinM]

Here's an interesting vase I purchased last week from the TS. It's a carved horn and snake. It's about 12" in height and the base is about 9 1/2" wide.

I'm guessing this is from South China or somewhere in Southern Asia and made sometime in the early 1900's or earlier.

Does anyone know where this might have been made and the time period it was made? Also is that an Ox horn or some other type of horn?

[KC]

Trying to figure out what kind of bird that is etched/engraved on the horn.  Also, is the horn hollow?  Length of horn please.

[KevinM]

The horn is hollow and is about 3" in diameter and from the tip to the bottom or base of horn in a straight line is about 13", if you follow the curve from the tip to the outside base it's about 18". 

Here's some more images...

[ghopper1924]

Interesting item. The bird looks like a finch or a sparrow.

[cogar]

The snake appears to be representive of a member of the Cobra species.

[KC]

Wow, hard to tell.  They still make/sell items like this in the world.

The stand looks modern.  And I don't know if that is influencing what I see in the horn as well.

Can you see any tool marks in the "scrimshaw"?  (In places of the world they are starting to use laser to carve these pieces as well.)

I like the carving.  So simple.  Which on the other hand is unique because so much of the handiwork on these items is very detailed/elaborate......

[KevinM]

KC, don;t see any real obvious tool marks on the scrimshaw. Here's a few more images below, closeups. The last image is 1 of 3 screws under the wood bottom.