Antique carved container and 31 hand carved and stained dominoe tiles. Ivory. Made in China for the export market 18th - 19th century.  

Cylindrical box measures a little over 3 1/4 inches long.  

A good deal of Chinese carving for the export market consisted of a variety of games.

31 dominoes, handcarved and stained to show the numbers. Since a traditional set of dominoes consists of 28 tiles, there are clearly a few extra here. Contained in

an intricately carved, cylindrical box. Both ends screw off. The ends are as richly carved as the rest of the surface, depicting flowers and butterflies. The body of

the container is divided by concentric  borders into 3 sections. Bottom and top section are richly carved with birds, insects and flowers in bud and full bloom. The

largest section is the middle, which is also wider than the others. Profusely filled with scholars in a variety of activities amidst a landscape of beautifully

depicted trees with gnarled, twisted branches and full of finely depicted foliage. Building, bridges, pagodas, umbrellas, scrolls - the traditional themes of Chinese

art work. All beautifully depicted in fine detail. A small oval reserve, not used yet, was probably intended for the initials of the owner. This is a carryover from

silver items, which would have been engraved with a monogram and shows the close ties between artisans working in different materials.  

The surface patina is quite lovely, having mellowed over the centuries.  

The entire set is in very good condition. There are no chips/cracks.