I just saw these three whimsical carved pearls on my Pinterest feed. The carving is so detailed, I was intrigued. There was not much information on the artist's site about the pearls.
I can't get over the detail on their little noses. How do you find a pearl with just the right little bump that can be carved into a nose?
The site they came from is Japanese. http://work.s-nakaba.com/?eid=1411464
Mister Nakaba is a talented pearl carver, expressing this special poetry of japanese feeling of the life.
To give right delicat features, he use indian ink with arabian gum, without which alone nacre can't show thin details.
I finally showed these to my friend that loves and collects those vintage CPK dolls. Of course she is now obsessed over the idea of these Pearl Boys. To somewhat quote her: "Imagine a whole necklace of these little faces and the diversity in each pearl boy's face".
Each pearl is so individual just like a person, all its own characteristics.
I've seen the little pearl skulls for a long time now, the "Pearl Boys" as you call them are new, I don't think I've ever seen them.
(I confess I do like the skulls though...but I like bats and snakes too so there is that)