Stunning Chinese Jade Bat Deity Finial

East Asia, China, Republic Period, ca. early to mid 20th century CE. A stunning carved jade stone in the form of a stylized bat creature! The bat rests on a flat base with a drilled perforation just behind its feet. The feet are incised with individual toes and the legs are slightly bowed below the rounded stomach. The face is simple and endearing with large bulging eyes, and a curved, downturned mouth. A pointed horn curves back from the forehead. The body is framed by large wings flaring out to the sides. The jade is a lustrous dark gray-blue that lightens to a pale green at the top. This winged creature is commonly shown in ancient Chinese jades and may represent an anthropomorphic bat deity. Bats were symbols of good fortune and fertility so this piece may have been a finial to ward off evil. This style of carving draws from the ancient forms from the Neolithic and Hongshan cultures from the late 4th to 3rd millennium BCE. Size: 4" L x 1" W x 6.125" H (10.2 cm x 2.5 cm x 15.6 cm)

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA Collection

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#141642
Condition Report: Stable surface cracks and fissures. Chips and nicks to surfaces and peripheries. Nice stone coloration.