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Ornament

Ornament

Object name: Ornament

Date: 1800-1902

Dimensions:

65 mm

Medium: Ivory

Object number: C04139

DescriptionChinese puzzle ball. Nest of 8 concentric ivory balls, one within the other. Each ball is perforated with circular holes and an intricate pattern that differs by ball. Puzzle balls would have been carved by hand. They are made from one piece of material, from which the spheres are separated and carved whilst still inside each other. The name 'puzzle ball' is actually related to the fact that many people wondered how these objects were made.