Featured Strange brooch, metal monkey riding a carved horn monstrous fish!

That is bizarre! Do you know what the fish is made of?

 

Carved blonde horn, eyes are glass!

 

I think there is a fish in Indonesia which looks like this, with the little "horns," but haven't found any stories about monkeys riding them.

 

I think he's Japanese. He has that Ghibli look of their legends.

 

Here are the new pics!
To my eyes, "Jim" has all features of a monkey
I'm not willing to move the reins as there is a solder near the hands and I don't want to ruin the piece

 

This is all I can find I’m afraid!

 

GREAT!!!

 

Besides, the fish's head is pulled back by the reigns in this position. Jim the monkey is simply way too rough.

 

I think it has something to do with Japan. Carp fish in many Japanese pictures.

 

Aww, THANK YOU!

 

Is it possible the rider & reins were added to a brooch that was originally just the fish? I find it very odd that the figure straddles his mount, pin back & all. How does he keep his seat? Truly a weird one.

 

Good question... the rider is part of the brooch mounting, which is screwed in the horn:

 

It’s so hilarious that it’s a brooch. It’s funny that it exists at all but that it’s piece of ladies jewelry cracks me up. Great find! I love oddities.

 

It’s kind of a guess, but there is a 1640s Chinese book written as an addition to Journey to the West called Xiyoubu where Sun Wukong is bewitched by a Qinq fish god of desire. At the end he overcomes the fish and is freed from desire. I think this is inspired by that story.

 

Women even wore prosthetic eye or realistic shrimps brooches in silver and pastes!

 

Aahh! very likely! thank you!

 

I'm still saying Japanese on this.

 

my kind of antique-but whether old/new-i love it.the Jonah wall carving they found under the mosque isl/isis blew -up was indeed amazing (will post some kind of friggin' tech link in future/i think (of course me memory/typing's shot)-I think it was either on Nova,Smithsonian Chan,pretty sure it was 1 of the somewhat mas intelligent channels on the tube.

 

You're rambling again, Bosco. Have no idea how your post relates to the thread.

 

Even those I can see. The sea monster with monkey is just kind of grotesque (which I like) and a bit ridiculous looking (which I also like). The eye ring I actually really like.