A delicate, small version of ‘The dragon bell’

If Auld Curiosities understands the Chinese reverence to this symbol, it is regarded as an auspicious and revered symbol which can represent beginnings and endings in Chinese culture. The dragon is regarded as having superior knowledge, wisdom and also to represent transformation. I think this belief arises from the story of Pulao, the third son of the Dragon King. He was told to sit atop a warning bell to amplify the sound when it was rung by Pulao’s load roar. Pulao was apparently scared of whales and when he felt attacked by whales the bell rang loudly. Paired together the dragon and the bell have come to stand for strength, power over water and good luck. In this case the dragon is carved from wood (? rosewood or cherrywood) with the bell affixed to the lower jaw by a small length of chain. The bell has a brass body and the exterior covered in coloured glass from melted frit, separated by thin brass cloisonné’s. As noted in the title this is a small item, standing just 100mm tall on a base with a maximum length of 58mm and width of 35mm. No evidence of damage seen on examination.

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