DESCRIPTION: A Chinese bronze tiger tally (Hufu) in two parts, each half inscribed with character inscriptions.

Note: Tiger tallies (hufu) were originally produced during the Warring States and Qin dynasty to bestow Imperial authority. Composed of two equal parts, one half remained in the hand of the king whilst the other was given to his general. It was only when a messenger brought the king's half and combined the two could the authority of a general be activated.

Yielding the power of a king to whoever possessed them, tiger tallies have remained enigmatic tokens of imperial authority. A small number of inscribed tiger tallies from the period are known.
CIRCA:
ORIGIN: China
DIMENSIONS: W: 4" H: 1 3/4"
CONDITION: Good overall condition, with some rusting signs due to age and use.
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