Chinese Toggle Depicting Mythological Bat

A rounded carved pendant with a plump bird form and a braided cord attached.

This toggle depicting mythological bat is from China. It is jade. The dragon is a popular toggle motif symbolizing wisdom, ambition and prosperity, a five-clawed version represented the emperor, and a dragon with a phoenix suggested marriage and was a wedding gift. The body is a squat, rounded shape in muted gray-green, with fine feather-like lines incised across its surface. A raised head with curved horns or crest tops it. A dark braided cord with a small white bead is threaded through. It is 2 inches wide, 2.25 deep and 1 high.

The cord is dressed up better than most of us.