Chinese Qing Dynasty gilt bronze sculpture of a mongoose, standing on its four legs, with the head slightly facing upward, its mouth gasp a fruiting branch and banliang coins. The mongoose became the main attribute of Jambhala because the serpents are the protectors of subterranean wealth and a mongoose controls them. Buddhist Sanskrit texts, however, refer to a different reason or story for the mongoose's association with wealth. It was said that wealthy people in ancient India carried a purse made of mongoose's hide and that when they gambled they often shook the purse. The mongoose or mongoose's hide then regurgitated gold coins and other precious things from its mouth. This seems to be the reason why in Jambhala's iconography the mongoose is always shown vomiting jewels.

Mark on base, incised four script -KaiShu- characters enclosed within a square frame border, QianLong Reign Period.


Dimensions: 6" H x 13-1/2" L

EXCELLENT condition, with normal anomalies in nature, sign of stressed surface, minor scratch & dent. Surface traced wear and or declined to gilding. Normal, considering ages and wears.
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