As part of our Japanese works of art collection we are delighted to offer this fascinating carved Meiji period Ivory Okimono depicting Ebisu the god of prosperity and wealth and patron of fishermen, this humorous character sits cross-legged before his chopping block, wielding a large knife in his left hand and carrying a native fish in the other, the basket to his side also contains a fish head he has been carved in great detail in particular his facial features which detail his huge ears, traditional beard and moustache and finely carved teeth, the Okimono is signed within a red seal tablet to the underside by an artist known as ''Seishu''.Notes: Ebisu is the only one of the seven lucky gods whose origins are purely Japanese. He is the god of prosperity and wealth in business, and of abundance in crops, cereals and food in general. He is the patron of fisherman and therefore is represented with fishermen''s costumes such as a typical hat, a fishing rod in his right hand and a fis...