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Tutte le aste / Altro / celluloid - Three okimono in celluloid • Clam's Dream – shell diorama
Three okimono in celluloid imitation ivory • Clam’s Dream seashell diorama, sake barrels and Urashima Taro on the minogame • ca. 1930-1955 Three Japanese okimono in celluloid imitation ivory, together 105 grams. That number immediately answers the question these pieces raise: solid ivory or bone would weigh many times more for this size, and a documented, virtually identical shell diorama of 8 cm weighs 47 grams. This is the technique by which Japan imitated its ivory carving for the export market, and the detailing is no less: the water wheel in the shell, the open-worked paddle wheels, the woven fish basket. For this object there is also a Buy Now price set, for those who want to acquire it immediately without waiting. Interior design and presence: As a group of three questions, these okimono leave little room and carry a lot: a bookshelf or display cabinet in a japandi, mid-century, or eclectic interior. The yellowed interior surface catches incidental light, so the scene in the shell only reveals its figures up close. Object description: Three okimono from the same production tradition. The first is a two-valved shell with ribbed outer surface on small feet, its upper valve opened over a village diorama: a house with balustrade and two figures, a water wheel, pines, a cow, a small sailing boat, and a bridge. The second is a two-wheeled handcart with long beams and open-worked paddle wheels, loaded with five upright casks, tied with orange cord. The third shows a boy in a kimono on the shell of a turtle with a swinging algal tail, with a woven basket on his back from which a large fish protrudes. The undersides are not visible; on the visible surfaces there is no brand, signature, or label found. Specifications: Material: celluloid, presumably formed from sheet and reinforced with plaster Dimensions: shell h 5 x w 7 x d 5 cm, cart h 6 x w 10 x d 5.5 cm, figure on turtle h 6 x w 9 x d 4.5 cm Weight: 105 grams for all three together Provenance: Private Collection Condition: Good, with signs of use appropriate to the material and age. The tip on one end of both beams of the handcart is missing; that is a missing part, not a break in the construction. In the depths there is a brownish-grey patina on all three: in this genre partly applied during manufacture to imitate patinated ivory, partly adhered dust, and here not considered damage. No cracks, craquelure, deformation, or open glue seams are visible on the exposed surfaces. This in no way diminishes the decorative value of this distinctive art object; it also contributes to its character. See the images for a full view. Shipping: The object is packaged with the utmost professionalism and care in double cardboard boxes with high-quality cushioning to ensure safe shipping. We always ship with an extra-secure Track and Trace service. Be sure to check the feedback left by previously satisfied buyers. References and sources: Japan built a substantial celluloid industry after the First World War, producing in large numbers for export. A portion of these consisted of novelty items that imitated Meiji ivory carving for the Western souvenir trade. All three subjects derive from this. The shell diorama is called Clam’s Dream in the trade and harks back to the giant shell from which, according to legend, steam emerges revealing a palace—the Eastern interpretation of an air reflection. The cart carries sake barrels of the type that are poured at shrines and festivals. The boy is most probably Urashima Taro, who travels to the dragon palace on a turtle; the swaying tail makes the animal a minogame, so old that seaweed grows on it, a symbol of longevity.
Stima:€1
Vai all’astaStima:
€1
John Nieto Serigraph "God's Dog," 1996
09/27/2026
€269.28
Stima: €48.28
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