East Asia, China, Qing Dynasty to Republic period, ca. 19th to mid-20th century CE. A pair of amulets carved from semi-precious stones - a nephrite jade face and a moonstone ox pendant. The miniature ox has a piercing through the snout to wear as a protective charm - as a zodiac symbol the ox is a powerful being - easily completing the "Great Race" which determined its place in the lunar calendar. The nephrite stone has a highly abstract face that represents a taotie, one of the "four fiends" or "four evil creatures" of Chinese mythology, and it is a particularly fascinating and ancient symbol. The verso is engraved with the Taoist yin and yang symbol. Size of jade face: 1.75" L x 2" W (4.4 cm x 5.1 cm)

Provenance: private Matrisciano collection, Thousand Oaks, California, USA, before 2002; ex-Malter Galleries, Encino, California, USA

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#176465

Both are intact and excellent with minor age expected surface wear. Ox is wearable as a pendant.