Lot Essay
This flat pendant forms the design of an upright bird with reverted dragon head emerging at the back of the bird's body. This is an unusual design for such a combination of motifs. The wings of the bird are upturned and the tail feathers are read at the back and base of the jade. The dragon head is typically Shang in definition due to the features of open mouth with snout, lozenge-shaped eyes and curling ear. Comparison may be made with jades representing dragons and birds from the Fu Hao tomb, Yinxu Fu Hao mu, Beijing, fig. 83:1, 2, 5, p. 158 and with jades showing a combined composition of bird and dragon, Yinxu Yuqi (The Jades from Yinxu), Beijing, 1982, pl. 46