Help identifying a Japanese carving?

[Fumesucker]

A family member is having to sell some inherited pieces in order to make ends meet, they have this carved ivory desk lamp but know almost nothing about it and I thought perhaps someone here on DU might be able to point us in the right direction.

I'm including two full length shots and one close up of the signature/logo that shows up on the bottom of the second shot just underneath the boy with the rifle..

Any info my relative can get would be extremely helpful and vastly appreciated. I can post more and higher resolution pictures if that would assist in any identification.

[Lucian]

1. You should ask an Asian woodcarver.

[taterguy]

2. The piece in question is made from ivory, not wood

:eyes:

[Fumesucker]

3. Never mind...

[madinmaryland]

6. Heh! Nice try!!

:D

[Lucian]

7. It was worth a shot.

:)

[tigereye]

4. huh, the detail is lovely. I have a friend who collects

Japanese art prints- she is very knowledgeable in general - I can ask her if you like. It's beautiful - I wonder if an Asian Arts website might be the way to go. Good luck.

[Fumesucker]

9. PM sent..

:hi:

[petronius]

5. If it's elephant ivory, your relative may want to do some research on the legality

of selling it before putting it on offer. I believe there are some possibly complex restrictions depending on the source of the material, age of the piece, and date of import...

[Fumesucker]

8. I t's been in the family since fairly early in the twentieth century..

Thanks for the tip, we have been investigating the legality and it seems that selling within the country an item that's been here that long is not a problem, selling internationally however is..

[nolabear]

10. It's carved from a tusk, hence the shape. If you want to send photos to someone who can help

try Ming's Asian Gallery in either Seattle or Bellevue WA (there's one in each). The owner Noreen does appraisals, is an expert, and could give you a good idea. I doubt it'd be free but one never knows. They also buy so that's a possible. Good luck. It's quite a piece.

[Fumesucker]

11. Bookmarked and emailed the link, that's what I was looking for, who to ask..

Thanks..

[old mark]

12. It should be in a museum-it is excellent work...some museums will appraise

and identify objects-there is usually a fee, but on something like this it would be worth it. To me, it looks late 19th-very early 20th century, but I have little experience with objects of this quality.

mark

[meegbear]

13. +1

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

14. The writing says...

"He who sucks fumes has the intelligence of a louse."

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

15. Yeah, so it's some kind of fancy Samurai bong

for a louse-brained fumesucking samurai. Chong?

:hi:

[alsame]

16. You should ask CTyankee, the resident GD art expert. Whatever

it is, it's GORGEOUS!

[Mike 03]

17. I can't speak to the materials, but could this be a Zen depiction of Jizos,

the guardians of children, widows and confused human beings? These images diverge in some ways from classic Jizos, but they also conform in other ways.

Please let us know what you discover.

Thanks. It is a lovely artifact.