Ivory Okimono Carving of Seated Kannon
Japanese antique (exact period needs to be confirmed) ivory figurine of the goddess Kannon (Japanese name for Guanyin), seated on a mountain throne. Base is 52mm x 42mm, with a height of 85mm (to top of Kannon's head-shawl/headdress). The base is covered with a multitude of scratches and markings, and possibly what looks like a signature, although a typical distinct maker's mark is not apparent (and so would need to be confirmed). There are also potential markings on the top of the headdress and the top of the mountain throne. She is holding a delicately carved vase of water, that is common in depictions of Guanyin. There is a split in the ivory that is visible on the base, running through the centre of the piece, that is also visible on the back part of the shawl, but which does not affect the aesthetic of the piece.
Item was obtained from an antique store in Prague.
Other
Maybe
Thank you for submitting your item for appraisal. This appears to be a 19th century Japanese okimono ivory carving of Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Mercy. The small statue is well carved showing kannon seated holding the medicine jar her right hand. I can´t make out any signature or writings, only the Schreger lines typical for ivory. The estimate is based on similar items offered or sold with a CITES at auction.
You would usually find two characters, sometimes in a cartouche, higthened with black or red colour or simply scratched in. In most cases the name is so common that it leads to nowhere.
Thank you, Klaus. Is the maker's mark typically very clear and always on the base, or is it possible that it can appear elsewhere on the figurine, e.g. top of the headdress or mountain throne? Was it usual for figurines from this period not to identify the artist, or not to have a maker's mark at all?