3830
A fine Japanese ivory okimono of the Three Wise Monkeys
Late 19th century
Finely carved ivory with the monkeys sitting back to back, their ears, eyes and mouth covered, their fur carved with fine detail.
2 inches / 3.5cm high and diameter.
Slight damage to 3 of the monkey’s feet.
ref 3830
This finely carved 'okimono' ivory is from Japan and dates from the Meiji period, 1868 to 1912. It was during this period that Japan was opened up to the West after Commander Perry's visit in 1853. Trade with whaling ships also brought sailors to Japan who were familiar with scrimshaw ivory carvings and by 1880 there was a marked interest in the West, in collecting Japanese ivory carvings.
In the late 1860s, changes in dress styles in Japan affected the livelihood of traditional carvers. At this time the netsuke, a small carving used to suspend tobacco and money pouches from the belt of the kimono, was one of their main sources of income. With the adoption of Western styles of clothing which included pockets, and the use of cigarettes instead of pipes, netsuke's lost their popularity in Japan. Instead Westerners began collecting these finely detailed carvings and Japanese craftsmen started to shape their carving towards Western tastes. This led to the development of the larger freestanding 'okimono' carvings. These 'okimono' carvings were eventually adopted by the Japanese who used them to ornament their houses.