Pictorial Charm Item Number: Edz4186 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Round, square hole in centre, inner and outer rims on both sides, four characters on obverse in seal script, design on reverse, bull at top, turtle with vapour at bottom, astrologer right, and crane left.

History Of Use

Design similar to a coin, but too large to circulate; a charm with a good-luck message; not from the period it purports to be from (Larson, David).

Iconographic Meaning

The combination of bull and figure may suggest Lao-tzu, the Daoist philosopher (Li, Min).

Item History

What

Name
Pictorial Charm
Identification Number
Edz4186
Type of Item
charm
Material
brass metal
Manufacturing Technique
cast and filed
Overall
height 0.33 cm, diameter 4.21 cm, weight 18.25 g

Who

Culture
Chinese
Previous Owner
Colin Campbell Brown and Hugh Campbell Brown
Received from
Hugh Campbell Brown (Donor)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
China

When

Creation Date
between 586 and 1911
Collection Date
between 1893 and 1911
Ownership Date
before February 1, 1961
Acquisition Date
on February 1, 1961

Other

Item Classes
metalwork
Condition
fair
Accession Number
0042/0048 o