Figurine - Buffel met ruiter (2) - Wood

a couple of hand-carved antique Asian (Chinese or Japanese) wooden statues of a water buffalo with a rider (a boy or a sage), probably from the early 20th century (the period around the early republic or the late Meiji/Qing-dynasty)
The sculptures are made of hardwood (often ebony or dark-colored hardwood) and are featuring fine inlaid metal wire patterns (often silver or copper inlay) on the buffalo's hide and on the clothing of the figure.
One has a small blemish; see photos