Chinese Toggle with Bat Motif

Smooth pebble-shaped oval wears a faint pattern and one small rusty freckle.

This toggle with bat motif is from China, and dates to the 19th century. It is jade. Jade was generally the most preferred and valued material for toggles, a precious stone integral to Chinese culture since the Neolithic Period and often called the stone of heaven. Soft pale celadon in color, the rounded oval is thick in the middle and gently domed. A faint, shallow design is incised across the surface, barely readable. A single reddish spot sits near the center. The edges are rounded and the finish is very smooth. It is 1.5 inches deep and 2 high.

Easy to hold, easy to like, hard to read.