

Chinese Miniature Ivory Carving
Chinese Antique Ivory Miniature Carving of a Baby Boy | Signed
Age:1900s
Descriptive qualities& condition:
Dimensions: 1-0”h x 1/2”w
Offered is a miniature and rare, Antique Ivory, 3-Dimensional hand carving chubby male baby sitting upright, sucking his finger with a realistic male genital appendage, which is an important aspect of this piece. It demonstrates exceptional expressive facial features with a tuft of hair, a belly button, fully detailed toes, feet, and hands, and natural folds of the body. He is presented on a miniature bone scroll stand. Signed but unidentified.
Condition: Excellent Unaltered condition, beautiful patina. Though the subject matter has been popular since the 20th century, there remains an untranslated incised signature on the back.
NOTE: In Chinese art, the depiction of young boys is considered a sign of good fortune, representing the blessing of having many sons to carry on the family name. This is without a question a gender preference issue because historically, couples have favored sons for a variety of reasons, including to continue the family name, provide security for the parents' old age, add to the family labor force, and perform ancestral rites. It is said that women would carry these small figures in a silk pouch in hopes of giving birth to a male child.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: A special Thanks to preservation efforts, animals and endangered materials, (e.g. ivory, rare woods, and semi-precious stones) are conservatively used today, if not banned altogether. However, we recognize that these materials have been important since ancient times for making a wide range of functional and decorative items. We only feature antique ivory and rare tree species because, while we support conservation, we truly feel that the experience and appreciation of historic artifacts should also be preserved.
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