An unusual Chinese ivory hu or court tablet 18th century

An unusual Chinese ivory hu or court tablet 18th century, one side carved in shallow relief with Guanyin and an attendant beneath bamboo on a mountain ledge watching a small boy on a lotus leaf, the reverse delicately incised with eight figures in a mountain landscape, together with a hardwood stand, 26.5cm. (2) Cf. Chinese Ivories from the Shang to the Qing, pp.142-145 for related examples. Court tablets of ivory were used at least as early as the Tang dynasty and were carried by officials whilst in the Imperial presence. In the Ming dynasty they were plain, but for a single character denoting the category of the official concerned. They were preserved by court door keepers and collected only upon entering the palace, it being an offence to retain them as they gave access to restricted areas.