ORIENTAL IVORY CARVINGS 123
American
Art Galleries, New York City, February 16 and 17, 1915,* were some
wonderfully elaborate bird cages of ivory and black lacquer, the
contrasting hues being skilfully combined to heighten the artistic
effect of the whole work. As decoration, along the ivory ribs of one of
these cages, are attached a number of dainty and delicate ivory
carvings representing dragons, birds, trees, and flowers. A circular
mirror for the birds has an ivory back carved with a design showing two
persons in a dug-out boat. Additional adornments are a carved white
jade pendant, and a jade thumb ring to be used in lifting the cage from
a hook; the lacquer base rests on ivory feet with openwork carving. The
cage is 13| in. high with a diameter of 14 in.; at the top is a
lapis-lazuli ball.f This specimen of Ch'ien lung work brought $400 at
the sale. Less elaborate in design but not less skilfully executed is a
square bird cage of ivory resting on low feet. The outside decoration,
severely restrained, embraces small medallions, the favourite lozenge
symbol, and vases holding mei blossoms. The interior fittings
are most artistically treated, the perch having the form of an entire
wild plum tree, projecting horizontally across the cage; the water cup
is carved into the form of a lotus leaf within whose folds hide a crab
and a frog, and the worm tongs has been given the shape of a Buddha's
hand fruit, while a seed chute is adorned with the sacred fungus toward
which turn the stork and the spotted stag of Chinese legend. The height
of this cage is the same as the circular one described above, 13f in.,
and each side of the square measures 1\ in.; the price paid for
it at the sale was $400, as in the former case.$ In still another of
these choice bird cages ivory is combined with red lacquer, the form
being dome shaped, with flattened
•Sold for Yamanaka & Co. tNo. 186 in Catalogue; coloured plate. JNo. 180 in Catalogue; woodcut.
