Very small silver bell in the shape of a lock decorated with an ‘upside down’ bat on each side. Upside down Bats (fu) symbolize ‘Blessings have arrived’ (fudao). ‘Upside down’ (dao) and ‘arrive’ (dao) have the same pronunciation. We believe that the creatures flanking the bats are ‘Dragon fishes’ which are mythical creatures with a dragon’s head and a fish tail. In fact they were thought to be fish which transformed into dragons after passing the ‘Dragon’s gate’ and they symbolize a wish to be successful during the Civil Service Examinations and achieve a ‘High status’. The bell dates from the late Qing (1644 – 1912) to the early Republic period (1912 – 1947). Width 2.6 cm. Height 1.8 cm. Depth 1.0 cm. Weight 4 grams.