Ivory Carving Immortals Offering Birthday Congratulation
Pagoda
Material: Ivory
Period: Qing Height: 102cm / Length: 98cm / Width: 54cm |
The fan is in banana shape woven with ivory strips and each of the strips is thinner than 0.1cm which makes up the major part of the fan. The fan face is framed by tortoise shell around the edge with an enamel handle painted with flower and butterfly motif. Herbaceous peony, magnolia and blue bird are shown in the fan which is made by dyed ivory strip. These elements carry symbolic meaning which is luck, peace and wealth. This ivory fan served the Qing imperial family for practical purpose so fan face is bent inward which create a more efficient cooling agent. The technique used in this fan includes ivory woven technique, stained ivory and inlaid with other materials. The woven technique is a complicated procedure that is used in the making of fan and mat. Firstly, ivory has to be boiled and then enamel thread inside the ivory has to be taken one by one. Then, craftsman has to weave it into a mat or a fan. Because of the complicated procedure and the lacking of successor, ivory woven becomes an extinct technique now.
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