A JAPANESE BONE 'SKULL' OJIME.

Meiji period, 19th Century.

Possibly Asakusa school of Tokyo, intricately carved and etched to resemble a realistic miniature human skull, with a hole drilled to the top for threading the silk cord, 12mm.

Provenance: a Japanese private collection of Mr M. Kinugasa.

Both Asahi Gyokuzan (1843- 1923) specialising in skulls and skeletons carvings and Ozaki Kokusai who favoured crude materials such as bone, horn and marine ivory were associated with the Asakusa school.