Ivory okimono of a banana and an apple

Japan, Meiji period, 1868 – 1912

Length of banana: 10 inches, 25.5 cm

Height of apple: 1 3/4 inches, 4.5 cm

Two ivory okimono, one of a banana, the other of an apple. Both fruits are naturalistically depicted, the unusually large, half-peeled banana is detailed with two sections rolled up, the apple has a small section of skin peeled and laid back over the fruit.

[No longer available]

The term okimono in Japanese literally means “object for placement [on display]” and these interesting examples of fruit indeed purport to have no other function than just to amuse and show the skill of the anonymous artist.