Chinese Toggle Depicting a Pheasant / Quail

A slim upright bird in pale stone with rust-red toes.

This toggle depicting a pheasant / quail is from China, and dates to the 20th century. It is jade. Toggles originally worn for practical use later became valued gifts and artworks, and the article notes that the netsuke of Japan, a similar counterweight for kimono sashes, originated with Chinese toggles. The bird stands tall with a crested head, a banded neck and a tapering body, its beak pointing right. Faint incised marks suggest the wing. Orange-red staining gathers at the feet and along the belly. It is 0.5 inches wide, 1.5 deep and 3 high.

Standing straight, as the well-mannered do.