Strauss & co - 18 November 2019, Cape Town

236 236 A miscellaneous collection of Chinese and Japanese ivories, 19th/20th century comprising: a Chinese ivory circular plaque, early 20th century, the centre carved with a pair of contesting dragons enclosed by a foliate border, distress, cracks , enclosed by a pierced and carved wooden frame, damaged, 24,5cm diameter ; two Chinese ivory carvings of Immortals, early 20th century, each astride their beast, on a pierced rocky base, cracks, some damage, the taller 13cm high ; a pair of Chinese silk ladies’shoes, each embroidered with flowers, 13,5cm long ; a Japanese ivory carving of a fruit seller, late Meiji period, 1868- 1912, dressed in a kimono, her left arm supporting a basket of fruit on her back, two-character mark, 11,5cm high ; a Japanese ivory figure of a fishmonger, late Meiji period, 1868-1912, the standing figure holding a fish by its tail, his right hand holding a cleaver, on an oval base, signed, repaired, 12cm high ; two Japanese ivory figures, Meiji period, 1868-1912, one of a monkey trainer, the other a woodsman, both damaged, the taller 10,5cm high ; a Japanese bone figure of a female demon, late 19th century, holding a fan in her right hand, 6,2cm high ; two Japanese ivory manju netsukes, Meiji period, 1868-1912, the first carved with a grasshopper, the reverse with a praying mantis, the second example inlaid with mother-of-pearl flowers, the larger 4,4cm diameter ; and three Japanesecomposite figures, 20th century, two in the form of netsukes, the third of a sumo wrestler, heightened with colour and staining, the taller 5cm high (15) R  -   *This lot is not suitable for export 237 Twelve Chinese agate carvings of the zodiac, 20th century comprising: the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the goat, the monkey, the rooster, the dog and the pig, raised on hardwood stands, some damage, the tallest 6,5cm high (12) R  -   238 An Indian sandalwood, rosewood and ivory-mounted casket, early 20th century the rectangular hinged top applied with a pierced ivory plaque, heightened with black engraving of elephants, the centre applied with a plaque inscribed ‘FromMr and Mrs C. N. AIYAR to Mr &Mrs RYCROFT’ , the sides applied with strapwork, enclosing a purple velvet-lined interior applied with a further plaque with dedication, raised on four paw feet, 10,5cm high, 38cmwide, 13,5cm deep ; and a smaller tortoiseshell, sandalwood and ivory example, similar, the base stamped MADE IN INDIA, 6cm high, 18cmwide, 7,5cm deep (2) R  -   *This lot is not suitable for export PROVENANCE These were gifted to Mr and Mrs Rycroft by the Aiyar family with whom Muriel stayed in Bombay when she was evacuated from Singapore en route to South Africa. 238 237 239 240 239 A pair of Chinese soapstone seals each almost square plinth with inscription, headed by a dog-of-fo with its pups, the stone of mottled brown tone, chips, 22cm high, with later red painted wooden base ; a pair of Chinese soapstone seals, each square plinth with inscription, surmounted by a scaly toad, the stone of mottled red, rouge and cream tone, chips, the taller 6cm high ; and another, similar, surmounted by a frog and its young, the stone of mottled cream and rouge tone, chips, 5cm high (6) R  -   240 A pair of mother-of-pearl and silver-plated boxes, 20th century each with faceted sides, 8cm high ; a tortoiseshell snuff box, 19th century, circular, the cover applied with the portrait of a gentleman in seventeenth century attire, 8,5cm diameter ; a gilt-metal miniature, 20th century, enclosing a portrait of a lady, the moulded frame surmounted by a ribbon, 9,3cm high ; and two British South African Company, Mashonaland, 1897, Rhodesia 1896 military ribbons, each suspending a Matabeleland 1893 medal, the larger 3,5cm diameter (5) R  -   *This lot is not suitable for export 89