TWO JADE CARVINGS OF ANIMALS (3)THE PROPERTY OF A BRITISH FAMILY英國家族藏品TWO JADE CARVINGS OF ANIMALSComprising a tortoise-like mythical beast, Yuan/Ming dynasty, the head turned to the left, 4.3cm (1 1/5in) wide; and a feline, Song/Yuan dynasty, carved recumbent, with alert expression, its tail swept over its back with a circular aperture, 2.5cm (1in) wide, box. (3).元/明 玉贔屭 宋/元 玉瑞獸 一組兩件Provenance: Spink & Son Ltd., London (the tortoise-like animal, acquired by the below on 12 December 1985)Joseph (1938-2005) and Bella (1941-2011) Shapiro, and thence by descent 來源：倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.（玉贔屭由以下藏家在1985年12月12日購得）Joseph Shapiro (1938-2005)和 Bella Shapiro (1941-2011)舊藏，並由後人保存迄今The tortoise-shell mythical animal is probably a tuo long, or dragon-headed tortoise. The tuo long was originally applied in Han times and earlier to the crocodile, but by the Yuan dynasty, popular literature regarded it as one of the sons of the dragon king. The dragon head was thus given to make its association with the dragon king more convincing. For a discussion on this mythical animal, see J.C.Y.Watt, Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing, New York, 1980, no.61; a related dragon-headed tortoise with book, Yuan/Ming dynasty, is illustrated in Ibid., no.62. See also a related green and black jade tortoise-dragon, Ming dynasty, which sold at Bonhams London, 11 May 2017, lot 256.sold_price_type: £