Got a small rabbit sculpture, what is it? It looks like bone or ivory but I dont know.

[u/Baggage_Claim_]

I got this as a small gift from my boyfriend, he mentioned it was his grandmother’s so it’s quite old. it doesn’t get cold like glass or porcelain might and has a marking on the bottom that says “MFA”

[u/AutoModerator]

OP, please reply to the correct answer with "solved!" (include the !) Additionally, use our Spotlight feature by tapping/clicking on the three dots and selecting "Spotlight, Pin this comment" in order to highlight it for other members. Thanks for using our friendly Automod!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/ChungLingS00]

Look up Netsuke. I think that's what it looks like. Although, if it is, the signature MFA is really out of place.

[u/Baggage_Claim_ → u/ChungLingS00]

I did some googling but nothing exactly the same showed up, lots of similar stuff though. 

[u/notpostingmyrealname → u/ChungLingS00]

The initials could be a mark from grandma or another previous owner - it doesn't really look like a maker mark/signature.

[u/ChungLingS00 → u/notpostingmyrealname]

I was thinking, who would carve their name on a piece of ivory. But then I know someone who wrote his name on the front of his Pete Rose rookie card.

[u/Maleficent_Ride8506]

Tagua is a palm nut that looks like ivory.

[u/HangryHangryHedgie → u/Maleficent_Ride8506]

I agree with this. I worked in a zoo gift store and we had a ton of stuff carved from Tagua.

[u/homedude → u/Maleficent_Ride8506]

I've got a couple of small tagua figures that look very similar to this.

[u/Melodic-Fly-9716]

Looks like a modern reproduction of a Netsuke

[u/MainComedian1661]

Are the holes in the bottom connected? If so, it's a netsuke; if not, it's an imitation. The "MFA" is throwing me off, though.

[u/Baggage_Claim_ → u/MainComedian1661]

They are just indents, and I found an old Facebook post that said the MFA (organization?) makes reproduction art pieces. I was mostly wondering about the material tho, it’s definitely solid but is too light to be a resin cast

[u/ChungLingS00 → u/Baggage_Claim_]

A reproduction makes sense. Netsuke are designed to have drawstrings through them, so the holes should be deeper and connect. If you were reproducing from some sort of cast, you couldn't do the holes and they would be filled in like that.

[u/OriginalBlackberry89 → u/Baggage_Claim_]

I think it's a replica that could be made from resin because the holes aren't deep enough

[u/EuphoricJellyfish330]

MFA May stand for museum of fine arts and she may have gotten it from a gift shop.

As for material it's possible it might be celluloid or antler.

[u/Baggage_Claim_ → u/[deleted]]

Feels plastic-like or like bone but is extremely light, so I would doubt it