According to the Chinese zodiacal calendar, the next Year of the Ox will start on February 2, 2021. The ox comes between rat and tiger and can often be encountered in Chinese mythology and art.
A pair of finely carved oxen is the potential top lot in a collection of some 150 jade carvings being offered by Hermann Historica in its November 6-17 sale. The 11in (27cm) long and 5½in (14cm) high figures are dated to the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD).
A popular Chinese saying states: “Gold is valuable, jade is priceless.” In this case, the auctioneer has put a figure on it: the estimate is €50,000.