Chinese Figure of a Fish with Bat

Fish curled around itself, scales carefully combed and fins flowing back.

This jade figure of a fish with a bat is from China, and dates to the 20th century. In Chinese visual puns, the word for fish sounds like abundance and the word for bat sounds like good fortune, so the pairing is generally read as an auspicious wish. Plump fish with overlapping scale patterns, a fanned tail curling over its back, and a carved eye and gill mark at the front. Rolled cloud shapes support it below. Smooth, pale green surface with a light polish. It is 2.25 inches wide, 1.75 deep and 0.5 high.

A calm swimmer that happened to settle on dry land.