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Lot 244
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Chinese Mammoth Ivory Erhu Player w/ Dog
Chinese Mammoth Ivory Erhu Player w/ Dog
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East Asia, China, Republic to People's Republic period, ca. 1912 to 1970 CE. A seated elder bends over his erhu with the unselfconscious absorption of a man who has long since stopped performing for anyone but himself - his dog, curled at his feet, apparently shares that opinion. Carved from mammoth ivory with considerable technical accomplishment, this okimono-style figure presents an elderly musician in layered robes, the fabric surface animated by dense incised patterning: geometric lattice, circular medallions, and textile-like crosshatching rendered with a needle-fine burin across the entire garment. The face, deeply lined and framed by a sparse beard, is inclined downward in concentration, its expression one of mild melancholy or perhaps mere practice. He holds the erhu upright, its cylindrical resonator faced with woven or snakeskin mesh, the long neck rising dramatically above his head and terminating in a forked tip flanked by two lateral tuning pegs in the instrument's characteristic configuration. Size: 5.5" W x 10.9" H x 4.75" D (14.0 cm W x 27.7 cm H x 12.1 cm D)

A small dark gourd vessel rests on the bench beside him, set aside for wine while the music demands both hands. The figure rests on a carved hardwood platform stage, itself elevated on a separately constructed display stand of considerable elaboration: slatted upper deck, turned baluster legs, openwork fretwork apron carved with foliage and archaistic motifs, and a running frieze punctuated by inlaid nacre roundels whose iridescent surfaces catch the light against the warm darkness of the wood. A small square ivory or bone tablet set into the platform bears a red seal inscription, likely identifying the carver's workshop or atelier. The ivory surface has developed a warm honey patina consistent with age, the tonal variation between the luminous figure and the amber-tinged accessories lending the composition naturalistic depth.

Musician figures of this type were produced in significant workshops in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou during the Republican era and into the early People's Republic period, catering to both domestic collectors and the export market for fine carved ivory. Subjects drawn from literati leisure - music, poetry, the pleasures of wine and solitude - carried a long genealogy in Chinese art, and this piece participates knowingly in that tradition. The accompanying dog, carved separately and placed with deliberate casualness, transforms what might have been a static portrait into a domestic scene with genuine warmth. Altogether a work of refined craft and quiet narrative authority.

Publication: This is an ESA antique exempt piece of ivory and cannot be sold internationally or to anyone residing in the states of California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington.

Parts from certain animal species including nacre shell may require an additional license upon import into another country due to legislation relating to endangered species and environmental conservation. If you are not sure whether CITES rules apply to your item, please see the CITES Appendices.

Provenance: private Hagar collection, Wildwood, Missouri, USA

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Item # 202186

  • Condition: Good. Missing tips of fingers on both hands, bow in proper right hand, and shout of dog. Right hand has been professionally reattached with break line visible. Some natural pressure fissures to ivory and splitting in areas. Otherwise, impressive presentation with incredible detail. Nacre shell inlays to base, platform, and gourd vessel. Nacre inlay on platform is signed. Platform is removable from base. Old collection label on base.

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by Artemis Fine Arts
June 25, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000