Featured Unusual Carved Monkey Face

Discussion in 'Tribal Art' started by 15Stiftgasse, May 3, 2021.

  1. 15Stiftgasse

    15Stiftgasse Well-Known Member

    I've recently come across this very unusual antler(?) carving and would be grateful if anyone were to be able to offer any help as to it's age and likely purpose.

    The item measures approximately 6cm x 3cm and appears to depict the face of either a chimpanzee(?) or monkey. There are two holes drilled through, which I assume may have been used to hold the item in position during carving (?) or perhaps have been used to attach the item to something else.
    It appears to have some age, and does not appear to be your usual tourist trinket.

    Any help or suggestions will be much appreciated !!

    177_692378380.jpg 177_-289152829.jpg 177_-656350697.jpg
     
  2. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Very unusual, Stiftgasse. It looks like a slice of antler to me too.
    Or to inlay the eyes?
     
    15Stiftgasse, judy, all_fakes and 3 others like this.
  3. patd8643

    patd8643 Well-Known Member

    It looks like a Japanese Macaque
     
    15Stiftgasse, judy, Bronwen and 3 others like this.
  4. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    IS there something INLAID for EYES?????
     
  5. 15Stiftgasse

    15Stiftgasse Well-Known Member

    Before actually buying it, I thought I'd get the opinion of you guys, first. I quite like the piece, but am wary of ending up with tat - which unfortunately does occasionally happen ! So all I have to go on at the moment are the pics, which are not close enough to determine if the the eyes have inset stones/material - sorry!
    Thank you all for your contributions, in any case !
     
    judy and Any Jewelry like this.
  6. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    I enlarged it 2X....I don't go beyond that usually....the program I use frequently starts to lose definition IMHO.....it's STILL very hard to tell!!! It's left eye does have some specificity to it....but that's all I can add!! Maybe email and ask them???

    177_692378380-standard-scale-2_00x-gigapixel.jpg
     
  7. J Dagger

    J Dagger Well-Known Member

    1D5E1801-768B-405D-8D34-1DDD51277E1A.jpeg Unlikely but could be a little drawer pull like I have here on this hand made box I was gifted. I have a feeling this type of this is made quite a bit to pass off as an antique okimono or Netsuke. I’ve seen holes drilled in things that don’t make sense as a Netsuke and just called that. Not saying that’s the case but just a thought. Cool carving, I’ve started to collect monkey stuff lately.
     
  8. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Something black?
     
    15Stiftgasse and judy like this.
  9. Potteryplease

    Potteryplease Well-Known Member

    If it's 6 inches long / wide as in the photo, that'd be an enormous antler!

    Could it be made of something else?

    Scratch that: centimeters!
     
    15Stiftgasse and judy like this.
  10. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    He's awfully cute, at any rate!!!:happy::happy:
     
    15Stiftgasse, judy and Potteryplease like this.
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