Posted 4 years ago
ho2cultcha
(5051 items)
I found this little bowl recently and really love it! it feels very special. It's very thick and has something black inside of it. I think it's Chinese and made of carved bamboo. What do you think?
Old Carved Ox Horn Bowl | ||
Asian Antiques1186 of 10500 |
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Posted 4 years ago
ho2cultcha
(5051 items)
I found this little bowl recently and really love it! it feels very special. It's very thick and has something black inside of it. I think it's Chinese and made of carved bamboo. What do you think?
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ho2cultcha, That is indeed special. :-)
It looks like it was turned on a lathe, but what intrigues me is the seeming translucent quality in the bowl rim in your third picture, and even a bit in the bowl base in your fourth picture.
Am I seeing things that aren't there?
If it is bamboo, could it have been infused with something?
i was thinking about that as i was laying in bed this morning. It is translucent and quite heavy for bamboo. I really don't know what it could be made of. It doesn't appear to be infused w/ anything that i can detect.
now i'm embarrassed! it's not bamboo, but was described as ox-horn! but still seems so heavy. it's really beautiful to hold!
on a fb site, i'm being told that it is not ox horn, but rhino horn. i have very mixed feelings about that.
ho2cultcha, Yeah, I getcha about the mixed feelings, but if it is rhinoceros horn, consider that it might be quite old.
Here's an antique one:
*snip*
An 18th century Chinese carved rhinoceros horn wine cup Of typical form with shallow bowl 10.5 cm
*snip*
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/rowleys-fine-art-auctioneers-and-valuers/catalogue-id-srrow10010/lot-6627fb87-1fc2-4afc-9e9c-a50200fcaaf7
Here is a discussion about a horn cup and whether it's ox horn versus rhinoceros horn:
*snip*
I think the rhino horn shows fibrous, matted hairs, whereas the streaks in ox horn are caused by melanin deposits.
*snip*
https://www.asianart.com/phpforum/index.php?method=detailAll&Id=108338&PHPSESSID=8slfais8os052fpr261nn152o3
That does make sense, seeing as rhinoceros horn is indeed hair.
Thank you keramikos. it's definitely not ox horn, and it sure does look like rhino horn - particularly w/ the dark center part and the patina. i think it's very old too.
ho2cultcha, You're welcome. :-)
Some interesting factoids about the rhinoceros and rhinoceros products in Chinese history:
https://www.comuseum.com/carving/rhino-horn-carving/