Old Ivory figure of a lady with a lute. Very well carved with great detail. On a light coloured wood plinth base.

Okimono (置物, oki-mono) is a Japanese term meaning "ornament for display; objet d'art; decorative object", typically displayed in a tokonoma alcove or butsudan altar. Okimono ivory figurines are Japanese works of art that date back to the Edo period (1615-1868) but gained popularity in the Meiji period (1868-1912). During this period, American trading vessels began sailing to Japan from New England, where marine ivory scrimshaw carvings were well known. That trading route came to greatly influence a demand for Japanese works of art such as netsuke – miniature sculptures made from Japanese carved ivory that represent the culture’s habits and mythology.