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 skil- 

 fully 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 13g in. high with a diameter of 

 14 in.; at the top is a lapis-lazuli ball.f This speci- 

 men 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 decora- 

 tion, 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, 13 J in., and 

 each side of the square measures 7| 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. fNo. 186 in Catalogue; coloured plate. 

 JNo. 180 in Catalogue; woodcut. 



