DIMENSIONS

Height: 4 ⅛ inches

PROVENANCE

Berwald Oriental Art, London, 1998

CATALOGUE NOTES

A biscuit brush rest modeled as five graduated mountain peaks with low relief decoration of an ox riding waves and gazing at the moon on one side and a kylin or unicorn amidst tongues of flame on the reverse.

Narrative: The ox is the emblem of spring and agriculture and a yellow ox signifies a fruitful year and a plumper harvest. The kylin is a fabulous creature of good omen and the symbol of longevity, grandeur, felicity, illustrious offspring, and wise administration. It appears with the body of the musk deer, the head of the wolf, the hoofs of the horse, the tail of the ox, and is covered with fish scales.

It can also have one or two horns bent backwards.