Ivory Carving Covered Box with Badge Pattern in
Openwork (with a handle)
Material: Ivory
Period: Qing Dynasty
Length: 27.5cm / Width: 17.8cm / Height: 20.9cm
Period: Qing Dynasty
Length: 27.5cm / Width: 17.8cm / Height: 20.9cm
The basket is made of 20
thin openwork carving sheets and 40 ivory strings and the main technique used
is open carving on thin sheet. The box is oval in shape accompanied by a cover,
a handle and few stands at the bottom. The cover is hat-liked with a round
carving knot at the top. The handle is decorated with curly grass carving. The
western floral pattern and the letters of alphabet appeared on the cover and
the body suggested that this work is for export trade. Also, the use of open
window decoration on the body and the mix of Lingnan features such as human
figures and trees inside the window are some other significant characters which
show the cultural exchange between China and the west during the Qing dynasty.