Jade-carving question: What kind of critters are these?

[glitterata]

In the mid-20th century there was a fashion in the US for petit-point purses ornamented with jade (and other semiprecious gemstones) repurposed from earlier Chinese jewelry. I have a little collection of these things, with what were once hat ornaments or buttons set in their clasps. Most of the little jade carvings represent leaves or maybe butterfly wings, but a few are more interesting. As you'd expect, the quality of the jade is not high. But it's genuine and old.

My question to you jade ladies (and gentlemen): Can anyone tell me what the animals are in these clasps? I'm assuming the one in the purse with the bangle handle is a rat--is that right? The other one--the damaged purse with the strap handle (which I bought for a few dollars because I liked the jade; I'm under no illusion that it's valuable)--looks like some little animal eating something. Is the animal a bat? A rat? And what is it eating? Some kind of flower? Fruit? Vegetable?

Thanks!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Ok, so the first one is clearly a possum (I'm kidding... I have no idea). And I'm going with a panda for the second one, simply because the Chinese love them so much.

 

[stracci2000]

I think they are both bats. Symbol of good luck.

 

[glitterata]

I think they are both bats. Symbol of good luck.

Thanks, Stracci!

 

[LilAlex]

I vote rat and elephant. But I think you're not alone since someone mounted the latter E/W instead of N/S. Although in the lower left quadrant, it looks a good bit like Alien which tends to make the whole franchise more believable.

In any event, I think those are sensational -- never knew that type of thing existed!

 

[Autumn in New England]

I vote rat and elephant. But I think you're not alone since someone mounted the latter E/W instead of N/S. Although in the lower left quadrant, it looks a good bit like Alien which tends to make the whole franchise more believable.

In any event, I think those are sensational -- never knew that type of thing existed!

My second choice was elephant!

 

[Autumn in New England]

I think they are both bats. Symbol of good luck.

I think you're absolutely spot on here!

 

[Pomelo]

In the mid-20th century there was a fashion in the US for petit-point purses ornamented with jade (and other semiprecious gemstones) repurposed from earlier Chinese jewelry. I have a little collection of these things, with what were once hat ornaments or buttons set in their clasps. Most of the little jade carvings represent leaves or maybe butterfly wings, but a few are more interesting. As you'd expect, the quality of the jade is not high. But it's genuine and old.

My question to you jade ladies (and gentlemen): Can anyone tell me what the animals are in these clasps? I'm assuming the one in the purse with the bangle handle is a rat--is that right? The other one--the damaged purse with the strap handle (which I bought for a few dollars because I liked the jade; I'm under no illusion that it's valuable)--looks like some little animal eating something. Is the animal a bat? A rat? And what is it eating? Some kind of flower? Fruit? Vegetable?

Thanks!

These are wonderful!

Edit: I’ve done a bit more research and think the first could be a badger (the word for badger sounds like the word for happiness).

The first one could be a bat (a sign of good luck) but usually bats are shown hanging upside down and the carving doesn’t look like it’s supposed to be upside down (this is where the “good luck” comes from because the word for upside-down also means luck has “arrived”). It could also be a rat.

I think the second one is a rat because of the marking on its forehead and the corn (?) it’s holding. The marking on its forehead looks like the Chinese character for abundance, which is what a rat symbolises (abundance of wealth or a good harvest) - I’ve highlighted these in white below.

Tagging our resident jade expert @Crimson too!

 

[LilAlex]

I don't know what you guys are seeing but these are also clearly elephants

 

[Seastheday]

This is so lovely—I never knew such clasps existed! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Crimson]

These are wonderful!

Edit: I’ve done a bit more research and think the first could be a badger (the word for badger sounds like the word for happiness).

The first one could be a bat (a sign of good luck) but usually bats are shown hanging upside down and the carving doesn’t look like it’s supposed to be upside down (this is where the “good luck” comes from because the word for upside-down also means luck has “arrived”). It could also be a rat.

I think the second one is a rat because of the marking on its forehead and the corn (?) it’s holding. The marking on its forehead looks like the Chinese character for abundance, which is what a rat symbolises (abundance of wealth or a good harvest) - I’ve highlighted these in white below.

Tagging our resident jade expert @Crimson too!

What a lovely collection, @glitterata !
I don’t see elephants @LilAlex and @Autumn in New England
Yes, I think you are right, @Pomelo. The first is rather faint and flat. I wouldn’t have guessed anything but badger looks right.
The second is a rat and there is also a lingzhi (for longevity) in the bottom left corner.

 

[Pomelo]

What a lovely collection, @glitterata !
I don’t see elephants @LilAlex and @Autumn in New England
Yes, I think you are right, @Pomelo. The first is rather faint and flat. I wouldn’t have guessed anything but badger looks right.
The second is a rat and there is also a lingzhi (for longevity) in the bottom left corner.

Ooh if the bottom part is a lingzhi then it might be a bat at the top (in white) and lingzhi (in blue) at the bottom!

These riddles are so fun

 

[Avondale]

The first one immediately looked to me like a badger, so I'm with Pomelo there. The tail is not right for a rat and bats don't have such tails. Besides, there's just something about the shape of the head and the location of the eyes... totally a badger.

The second one is a bat, through and through. At least the upper half. No idea about the lower.

 

[stracci2000]

I dunno guys, I still see a bat on the first one. The holes are not eyes they are button holes. They are both antique buttons.

What a fun discussion!
Maybe we can all agree to disagree that they are both elephants......

 

[glitterata]

You guys are the best!

Want to see the rest of my collection? (Of course you do!)

I have two with bangle handles and two plainer ones with leaf clasps:


Here are the plainer ones, along with a third that I gave to a friend who said she didn't have any purses nice enough to take to the opera:


I also have a couple with extra carved gemstone ornaments--one has an amethyst clasp and (pieces of) jade hairpins on the frame, and the other has a carnelian clasp and beads, and a jade hairpin:





And here are close-ups of the various jewel ornaments:


















(What is that amethyst thing supposed to be? An eggplant? A peach? A lingzhi?)

 

[glitterata]

Oh, also: Given that the new one with the perhaps-a-bat-and-lingzhi clasp is so damaged--the fabric is falling apart and the clasp doesn't catch anymore--what should I do with it? Take the jade out of the brass frame and use it for something else (e.g., a pendant, a button, or a hat ornament)? Try to fix the clasp (I think that MIGHT just be a matter of gently bending it), ditch the damaged fabric, and sew a replacement (complicated sewing for someone who hasn't sewn much since junior high school)? Leave it as is, as a display piece?

 

[Catmom]

You guys are the best!

Want to see the rest of my collection? (Of course you do!)

I have two with bangle handles and two plainer ones with leaf clasps:


Here are the plainer ones, along with a third that I gave to a friend who said she didn't have any purses nice enough to take to the opera:


I also have a couple with extra carved gemstone ornaments--one has an amethyst clasp and (pieces of) jade hairpins on the frame, and the other has a carnelian clasp and beads, and a jade hairpin:





And here are close-ups of the various jewel ornaments:


















(What is that amethyst thing supposed to be? An eggplant? A peach? A lingzhi?)

Wow, these are all SO amazing!

 

[glitterata]

Wow, these are all SO amazing!

There were tons of them made--they're not hard to find, especially if you're patient. The ones with the bangles can cost hundreds of dollars, but you can find the simpler ones, with just a jade button clasp, for well under $100. The sellers think of them as "an old purse" rather than "an antique piece of jade." Hence my collection, which takes up too much room! I need to stop buying these things, but when I spot a good one at a good price, I can't help myself.

 

[LilAlex]

Those are unbelievable, @glitterata!

And, @stracci2000, I'm pretty sure my own head has those same two buttonholes.

 

[Timor]

What an amazing collection!

 

[Pomelo]

You guys are the best!

Want to see the rest of my collection? (Of course you do!)

I have two with bangle handles and two plainer ones with leaf clasps:


Here are the plainer ones, along with a third that I gave to a friend who said she didn't have any purses nice enough to take to the opera:


I also have a couple with extra carved gemstone ornaments--one has an amethyst clasp and (pieces of) jade hairpins on the frame, and the other has a carnelian clasp and beads, and a jade hairpin:





And here are close-ups of the various jewel ornaments:


















(What is that amethyst thing supposed to be? An eggplant? A peach? A lingzhi?)

This is a wonderful collection! I just browsed eBay UK but sadly none of the petit point purses have these gorgeous carvings.

I’m struggling with the amethyst as it looks like some kind of fruit or veg with the leaf detail, but then it’s got non-uniform parts over it… sorry this one has me stumped!

 

[Crimson]

This is a wonderful collection! I just browsed eBay UK but sadly none of the petit point purses have these gorgeous carvings.

I’m struggling with the amethyst as it looks like some kind of fruit or veg with the leaf detail, but then it’s got non-uniform parts over it… sorry this one has me stumped!

I wonder if it is a fish. Some parts look like fins. Maybe a nit like these/

 

[glitterata]

A fish! That's an interesting thought. Like Pomelo, I'd assumed it was something vegetal. Also, one surface looks a bit rough, like something might have been chipped off. Hm....

 

[glitterata]

This is a wonderful collection! I just browsed eBay UK but sadly none of the petit point purses have these gorgeous carvings.

I’m struggling with the amethyst as it looks like some kind of fruit or veg with the leaf detail, but then it’s got non-uniform parts over it… sorry this one has me stumped!

Here are the ones I've found currently for sale on Etsy and Ebay US. None of them hits my sweet spot of price / {nice jade & condition} (or I would have bought them already), but maybe they'll please someone with a higher budget? Sooner or later a good one will pop up in the $15 to $50 range.

Vintage Petit Point Purse With JADE CLASP on Frame, 1920's Needlework Purse, Hand Embroidered Purse - Etsy

This Clutches & Evening Bags item by FabOldiesVintage has 26 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Thousand Palms, CA. Listed on Apr 5, 2025

www.etsy.com

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1419080612/embroidered-bag-stramin-handle-brass (I actually tried to buy this one--amethyst, coral, extra jades, and a jade shrimp!--but they don't ship to the US, so maybe one of you jade lovers elsewhere wants it? The fabric is very damaged, so it would be a display piece, or you'd have to replace the fabric.)

Vintage Tapestry Handbag Petit Point Embroidered Floral Purse Jade Inset Clasp - Etsy

This Accessories item by WindsorsFinds has 4 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Wright City, MO. Listed on Apr 23, 2025

www.etsy.com

https://www.ebay.com/itm/126939843685 (Another bangle one with an "elephant" clasp--I'm now convinced it's a bat)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225004010597 (Another bangle. Whew, that's expensive!)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/204295255203 (Expensive! Jade cylinders--what would these have been?)

Vintage Rose Needlepoint Purse Jade Clasp | eBay

Same design on both sides. Jade clasp. Loop handle. 7.5" wide x 5.5 tall. 1" deep. Clasp is 3/4 round. White satin interior with open side pocket. Needs some repair see pictures. Lining needs repair as well as the back of the purse where fabric attaches to the clasp. The clasp approximates well...

www.ebay.com