A cylindrical birdcage with buffalo horn, vertical bars, braced by three, irregularly-shaped, lacquered bamboo hoops, which encompass the cage near the top and closely spaced around the lower third. The cage is topped with a dome-shaped, silver-colored metal finial, with a hook at the top which could be used to hang the cage. It has a mottled brown, form-fitting, veneer tortoiseshell band around the bottom, which is held on by two silver-colored bars. The cage is set on intricately-carved, fan-shaped, ivory feet, with human figures in various poses, including on horseback, holding spears and defending shields in heavy relief. Ornate decorations are affixed to the sides, including a carved ivory crab in the center below an arched, carved and pierced ivory door, an intricately carved, ivory fish with metal spring, antennae-like projection for eyes, that has a small human figure sitting on its back to our right. It is attached to a squat, cylindrical jade vessel, and further round to the right, towards the back, is a small, carved, glazed white porcelain bowl, with a pale blue interior.

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See more objects with the tag container, fish, birds, protection, seagulls, crabs.

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Object Timeline

-0001	We photographed this object.
1916	We acquired this object.
1929	Work on this object ended.
2005	We photographed this object.
2019	We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Birdcage (China)

This is a birdcage. It was made by Liang Qichang. It is dated ca. 1901 and we acquired it in 1916. Its medium is bent buffalo horn (vertical bars), lacquered bamboo (horizontal hoops bracing bars), ivory, molded tortoiseshell (with substraight of silverleaf on vermillion on wood), cedar wood, various metals (brass, possibly paktong, white metal), jade, glazed porce. It is a part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts department.

Tortoiseshell, like horn, is a thermoplastic which can be shaped using heat, moisture, and pressure. Working the material was a laborious, costly process. Objects made from tortoiseshell were considered luxury goods. The simple cylindrical form of this birdcage is embellished with extravagant materials including form-fitting curved tortoiseshell veneer around the base, intricately carved ivory feet, and lavish accessories.

This object was donated by Mrs. Herman Frasch. It is credited Gift of Mrs. Herman Frasch.

Its dimensions are

H x diam.: 86 x 39.4 cm (33 7/8 x 15 1/2 in.)

It has the following markings

See notes.

Cite this object as

Birdcage (China); Made by Liang Qichang (dates unknown); bent buffalo horn (vertical bars), lacquered bamboo (horizontal hoops bracing bars), ivory, molded tortoiseshell (with substraight of silverleaf on vermillion on wood), cedar wood, various metals (brass, possibly paktong, white metal), jade, glazed porce; H x diam.: 86 x 39.4 cm (33 7/8 x 15 1/2 in.); Gift of Mrs. Herman Frasch; 1916-12-1-a/f

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Plastics.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2BdjF/
Accession Number 1916-12-1-a/f
Object ID 18186867