Magnificent old Asian (Indian?) brooch in hallmarked silver with the image of the Monkey King resting on a swan with outstretched wings.
The Monkey King is a very popular character in Asia. His adventures were repeated in theater and opera, then in cinema and television. This ancient legend was made famous by a book written in the 16th century by Wu Cheng'en. It all starts with a magical rock breaking, giving birth to a stone egg. From this egg comes a monkey, also made of stone, immediately adept at climbing and running. One fine day, he comes to a large waterfall that he is bold enough to cross. Behind it is a wonderful cave where he settles with the other monkeys who, in recognition, name him king of the monkeys. But one day, the Monkey King decides to go far away to find the secret of immortality. After ten years of traveling, he arrives where the patriarch of the immortals lives. He accepts him as a disciple and gives him the name Sun Wukong. After various adventures, he is taken prisoner, but the elixir of immortality preserving him from being burned in an oven, Buddha is then asked to imprison him under the mountain of the five elements (part 1). The 2nd part takes place five hundred years after the first and is the best known. It tells the adventures of a Buddhist monk named Suanzang and renamed Tripataka, who went to India in search of sacred writings... (source: https://edutheque.philharmoniedeparis.fr/la-legende-populaire-du- monkey-king.aspx).
As for the swan, in the Far East, it is a symbol of elegance, nobility and courage.
This superb brooch is set with 7 small pink tourmalines (tested) as well as 2 for the swan's eyes and 6 small turquoises.
This is a rare piece which must date from the 19th century. It has 2 AA hallmarks for the silver and a goldsmith's hallmark (F&S?) which I was unable to identify. Perhaps it is an object made in India during the British Empire.
It is in very good condition (note: the tip of the swan's wing, on the left of the brooch, is slightly folded and the collar of the sign is no longer centered).
Dimensions: 4.6 cm x 4.2 cm, weight 14 g.
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