CHINA 1910 QING DYNASTY FOUR LAYERS CARVED DRAGON MISTERY PUZZLE BALL WITH STAND

CHINA QING DYNASTY MISTERY BALL WITH STAND WITH A DRAGON.

A PRETTY PIECE FROM THE QING DYNASTY (1644-1912) OF CHINA, CIRCA 1900'S. IS A FOUR LAYERS PUZZLE SPHERE WITH A STAND (DETACHABLE), BEAUTIFULLY CARVED FROM TWO SOLID PIECES WITH THE MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE OF A RAMPANT DRAGON.

THE CHINESE DRAGON, ALSO KNOWN AS LOONG, LONG OR LUNG, IS A LEGENDARY CREATURE IN CHINESE MYTHOLOGY, FOLKLORE AND CULTURE AT LARGE. CHINESE DRAGONS HAVE MANY ANIMAL-LIKE FORMS SUCH AS TURTLES AND FISH, BUT ARE MOST COMMONLY DEPICTED AS SNAKE-LIKE WITH FOUR LEGS. THEY TRADITIONALLY SYMBOLIZE POTENT AND AUSPICIOUS POWERS, PARTICULARLY CONTROL OVER WATER, RAINFALL, TYPHOONS, AND FLOODS.

THE DRAGON IS ALSO A SYMBOL OF POWER, STRENGTH, AND GOOD LUCK FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WORTHY OF IT IN EAST ASIAN CULTURE. DURING THE DAYS OF IMPERIAL CHINA, THE EMPEROR OF CHINA USUALLY USED THE DRAGON AS A SYMBOL OF HIS IMPERIAL STRENGTH AND POWER. IN CHINESE CULTURE, EXCELLENT AND OUTSTANDING PEOPLE ARE COMPARED TO A DRAGON, WHILE INCAPABLE PEOPLE WITH NO ACHIEVEMENTS ARE COMPARED TO OTHER, DISESTEEMED CREATURES, SUCH AS A WORM. A NUMBER OF CHINESE PROVERBS AND IDIOMS EATURE REFERENCES TO A DRAGON, SUCH AS "HOPING ONE'S CHILD WILL BECOME A DRAGON".

CHINESE PUZZLE MISTERY BALL, SOMETIMES KNOWN AS A DEVIL'S WORK BALL IS A CHINESE-MADE ARTIFACT THAT CONSISTS OF A NUMBER OF INTRICATELY CARVED CONCENTRIC HOLLOW SPHERES CARVED FROM A SINGLE SOLID BLOCK THAT FIT WITHIN ONE ANOTHER IN A WAY THAT LOOKS IMPOSSIBLE. THEY ARE MADE FROM A SINGLE SOLID BALL WITH CONICAL HOLES DRILLED IN IT, WITH THE CARVER SEPARATING THE DIFFERENT SPHERICAL SHELLS USING L-SHAPED TOOLS.

THIS PIECES HAVE A COMBINED WEIGHT OF 62.5 Grams.

THE PUZZLE BALL HAVE DIAMETER OF 50 mm (2 Inches) AND THE PEDESTAL STAND HAVE A MEASURES OF 30 mm BY 95 mm.

IT IS IN PERFECT CONDITION WITH MINORS PROFESSIONAL REPAIRS AND REMAINS OF ALL THE ORIGINAL AGED PATINA.

INVENTORY REF: D0000MEMK/.1111