Superb pair of vintage Chinese carved Hedaio fruit pit beads earrings. j-eror505

The miniature folk art of fruit pit carving has been practiced in China for centuries. These are two mid-20th century elaborate finely carved figural beads. Earrings made from exquisitely carved fruit pits depict a Bodhisvattva riding a lion. Mansjusri, the Boidhisattva is the embodiment of the supreme wisdom of the Buddha. The mystical lion which symbolizes the guardian of Buddhist doctrines. The images are carved in skilled detail around entire surface of the beads. These were purchased in Hong Kong in the early 1970s. Carvings with this level of handwork are not being produced today. Each is individually hand carved and so vary slightly in size and detail. They are accented by yellow amber and bone beads. The Hedaio beads are 38 x 19mm. Earrings measure 2.75 inches from the top of the gold plated ear wire.