Japanese Meiji Ivory Okimono of a Yamato Nadeshko Mother Carrying a Child

East Asia, Japan, Meiji to Taisho era. A carved ivory okimono of a Yamato nadeshko woman in a kimono holding a young child. She wears geta shoes on a lobed base, her hair dressed in a high chignon with ornaments, and her head is tilted toward the child she holds on her left arm. The child leans forward with an arm outstretched, the hand once cupping a separately carved object, now absent. Both garments are finely incised with stained geometric and wave patterns, which continue across the wide obi at her back. The underside of the base bears an inset red lacquer cartouche with an incised signature and two leaf-shaped motifs. Yamato nadeshiko is a Japanese term for the idealized Japanese woman: graceful, modest, gentle, and devoted to family, with an inner strength beneath a reserved manner. The name combines Yamato, an old name for Japan, with nadeshiko, the fringed pink flower (Dianthus superbus), which was valued for its delicate appearance and hardiness. The ideal was strongly promoted in the Meiji period alongside the official “good wife, wise mother” (ryōsai kenbo) philosophy, and mother-and-child figures like this okimono, showing an elegantly dressed woman tenderly holding a child, are a common expression of it. This item is made of or contains elephant and qualifies for exemption under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) as an antique. Due to strict federal and state regulations governing the sale and transport of ivory, this item may not be shipped internationally or to residents of the following U.S. jurisdictions: CA, CT, DC, HI, IL, MA, MD, MN, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OR, VT, and WA. Buyers are solely responsible for ensuring that their purchase complies with all applicable local, state, and federal laws regarding the acquisition, possession, resale, or transfer of ivory. While we guarantee that this item meets the criteria for ESA exemption under federal law, we strongly recommend that prospective buyers consult with local authorities to verify legal eligibility in their jurisdiction. This lot cannot be shipped to CA, CT, DC, HI, IL, MA, MD, MN, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OR, VT, and WA or outside the United States. Item # 205574

Estimate:£602.84

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