Exquisite Set of Eleven Hand-carved and Stained Multicultural Figures raku pottery thinner and crackled in others

thinner and crackled in others

This particular box features the original oak stain and mark on the front reading  "Patented 1889

There is a bit of dust caught in one corner underneath the glass and some dings to the wood on the perimeter of the tray but it is is very good overall condition

Sitting on top of them are a couple of barrel shaped boxes

Exquisite Set of Eleven Hand-carved and Stained Multicultural Figures raku pottery thinner and crackled in othersI think these hand carved and stained wooden figures are exquisitely elegant, super tender and just completely lovely. The faces! The postures! The palette! I have not been able to find anything quite like them online, but have a slight hunch they may be Korean and would guess they date from the 1940s or early 50s. With their varied heights running in pairs, it seems possible that they were chess piecesif so, what an amazing set they would have made!