Cricket Bed (Translation)
象牙蟋蟀过笼 (Primary Title)

Unknown (Artist)

19th century
Chinese
Decorative Arts
Ivory
1 1/8" H x 2 3/16" L x 1" D (2.86 cm. H x 5.56 cm. L x 2.54 cm. D)
2003.106
As early as the Tang dynasty (618-907), crickets were kept as pets by China’s imperial families, court officials, and commoners, enamored with the tiny insects’ singing and fighting abilities. Centuries later as the pastime became more popular, demand increased for cricket cages, “beds,” feeding vessels, and other accessories, examples of which are included in this group. Enclosures, in particular those made from gourds, were quite fashionable and produced in unique shapes with ivory, porcelain, and enamel components.
Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
None
Gift of John C. Maxwell, Jr. and Adrienne L. Maxwell
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC

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