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18th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This small carving of a mandarin duck would have been worn by a woman. Since male and female mandarin ducks are inseparable, the bird had become a symbol of marital happiness in China. The motif expressed a woman’s wish to retain her husband's affection forever and have him always by her side.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Nephrite jade, carved |
Brief description | Toggle, mandarin duck, nephrite jade, carved |
Physical description | Toggle in the form of a mandarin duck |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Credit line | Mrs G. B. Roberts bequest |
Object history | Bequeathed by Mrs. G. B. Roberts, accessioned in 1902. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This small carving of a mandarin duck would have been worn by a woman. Since male and female mandarin ducks are inseparable, the bird had become a symbol of marital happiness in China. The motif expressed a woman’s wish to retain her husband's affection forever and have him always by her side. |
Bibliographic reference | Ming Wilson, Chinese Jades, No. 24 |
Collection | |
Accession number | 1514-1902 |
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Record created | March 14, 2005 |
Record URL |
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