Ivory carved gourd shaped flower bag

[Ivory Carved Cucurbita Flower Bag]

Ivory Carved Cucurbita Flower Bag, mid Qing Dynasty, height 7.5 cm, caliber 4.1 × 3.9 cm
Flower pouches, or sachets, are ornaments worn by emperors and empresses at the waist. This flower bag is carved from two pieces of ivory, and each piece of ivory is fully carved with the techniques of carving and yin carving, including small gourds, small flowers, branches and leaves, as well as the characters “Da” and “Ji”. The carved branches and vines are interspersed back and forth, with flowers and leaves set off from left to right. Double coin patterns are carved on the ground where flowers, leaves, and vines are attached, implying auspiciousness, wealth, and longevity. The two ends of the flower sachet and the two petals of the flower sachet are shuttled together with yellow silk threads, making the two pieces of the fragrance sachet box tightly fit into one. The design of this object is exceptionally ingenious and its workmanship is exquisite. It should be the work of an expert craftsman from Guangdong.