Fine Whole Ivory Chinese Eating Set (Trousse) Knife Chopsticks

The origin of the trousse known as “Chinese eating set” is most probably Manchuria, and it penetrated the Chinese world with the reign of the Manchu Qing dynasty. As from the 18C. and on, similar sets spread all over the area under Chinese influence from Tibet to Mongolia . We have seen similar sets also in Japan and Korea.

The Chinese eating set comprises a knife and chopsticks and sometimes small accessories as toothpicks tongue scraper, tweezers, ear cleaners and similar small items. A variety of materials and decoration were used in the various trousses including wood, ivory, stones, Bamboo and many others.

The fine exemplar offered here is Chinese. A well forged steel blade and finely engraved ivory handle and scabbard. Brass mounts. Pair of bone chopstick.

Blade 8 inches, total length 14 1/2 inches. Very good condition. One of the chopsticks is missing its tip.

For a very similar set see: Arts of Asia, Nov-Dec 1990, pages 139, Fig 9.