Roman Plaques?

[oggbashan]

I bought these two plaques on eBay, sold as ancient Roman. I'm not convinced.

They look Chinese or Japanese to me. They are about four inches high.

What do you think?

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

I bought these two plaques on eBay, sold as ancient Roman. I'm not convinced.

They look Chinese or Japanese to me. They are about four inches high.

What do you think?

Possibly Japanese, although they also look like they might be crude copies of illustrations from a translation of 'The Perfumed Garden', or maybe they're just smutty Victorian scrimshaw?

 

[oggbashan]

Possibly Japanese, although they also look like they might be crude copies of illustrations from a translation of 'The Perfumed Garden', or maybe they're just smutty Victorian scrimshaw?

You could be right. Whatever they are, I like them.

 

[NotWise]

I have no idea what they might be.

They don't look Roman to me. I've never seen Roman erotica in outdoor settings, and the man in the plaque on the bottom right appears to be wearing a shirt or jacket, which wouldn't be a Roman thing.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Pseudo-Chinese, I would say. Whatever their appeal, unless there's some strong providence, I wouldn't take them for anything too original.

 

[KeithD]

I'd go with Chinese. The buildings in the background of two are plaster (Chinese) rather than wood (Japanese).

 

[KeithD]

Here it is (other panels show, but clearly from the same set), identified as “vintage hand-carved Chinese Kama Sutra bone scrimshaw erotica.” (Sorry for the stretching, but I had a devil of a time finding an image that would hold.)

https://img0.etsystatic.com/028/0/6019290/il_fullxfull.552275550_5aw1.jpg

 

[oggbashan]

Thank you, Keith D.

They look very similar except that mine are flatter with a slight curve, and have a single hole through the sides near the top for threading.

 

[KeithD]

It's the same artwork.

 

[oggbashan]

It's the same artwork.

It is. Probably from the same artist (or factory).

Thank you. Great find!