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Tripod libation cup, in carved buffalo horn, handle in the shape of a dragon, body decorated with two chilongs (hornless dragons) and carved with stylized motifs (taotié*), from China, early 20th century.
This cup is in good condition and is of nice quality.
Please note: some dirt and slight wear from time, see photos.
* The taotie motif is a stylized and symmetrical representation of an imaginary animal, borrowing some of its features from the dragon. Some other aspects relate it to the tiger, or even to the ox or the sheep. The animal is described as a fierce creature, horned and with bulging eyes under thick eyebrows, whose half-jaw is adorned with sharp fangs. The term tao tie is sometimes rendered as "glutton", also known for its voracity.
** Chilong:
embodies the South. Chilong, a hornless dragon that breathes fire from its nostrils and is hostile, is the dragon that most resembles the monsters of medieval European tradition.
