Cricket Cage

Embellishing the plain shiny body of this gourd is a plain concave ivory foot and a convex lip.The lid, apparently fashioned of a single piece of ivory, depicts the immortal Liu Hai, seated atop his three-legged toad (^c^, chan). Strung on an ivory cord held by Liu Hai (^c^) in either hand are circular pieces of cash, also made of ivory. An ivory bat, symbolic of good luck, is affixed to the ivory cord immediately behind Liu Hai’s head. The eyes of the toad and bat are inlaid with a darker material.

a=gourd; b=ivory lid; c= silk pouch with swastica pattern design lined in pink silk with drawstring.

Historical period(s)
Qing dynasty, late 19th-early 20th century
Medium
Gourd, ivory
Dimensions
H x W: 14.8 x 6.5 cm (5 13/16 x 2 9/16 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1984.38.4a-c
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Container
Type

Cricket cage

Keywords
bat, China, cricket, Liu Hai, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), Robert Hatfield Ellsworth collection, toad
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Embellishing the plain shiny body of this gourd is a plain concave ivory foot and a convex lip.The lid, apparently fashioned of a single piece of ivory, depicts the immortal Liu Hai, seated atop his three-legged toad (^c^, chan). Strung on an ivory cord held by Liu Hai (^c^) in either hand are circular pieces of cash, also made of ivory. An ivory bat, symbolic of good luck, is affixed to the ivory cord immediately behind Liu Hai's head. The eyes of the toad and bat are inlaid with a darker material.

a=gourd; b=ivory lid; c= silk pouch with swastica pattern design lined in pink silk with drawstring.

Published References
  • Wang Shixiang. Charms of the Gourd [Shuo hu lu]. Hong Kong. p. 357, pls. 176-7.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Whistler's Neighborhood
Google Cultural Institute
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