delicately rendered in the form of a stylised mythical bird with a thin crest and an undulating bifurcated tail, depicted grasping a millet spray in its beak, one of its finely rendered outstretched wings surmounted by a small loop, the stone of an even white colour with icy inclusions

As visible in the catalogue photo, there is a small chip to the loop. There are also expected minute bruises and nicks to the edges and extremities, a tiny nick to the tip of the crest. There has possibly been light polishing to conceal an earlier nick. The ornament is otherwise in overall good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Elegant carvings of birds with leafy and floral sprigs were made from the Tang dynasty in a variety of media and used as precious objects for personal adornment. Compare a similar carving of a peacock, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (II), Hong Kong, 1995, pl 6, together with another figure of a bird, pl. 7; and another bird carving, attributed to the 16th century and recovered from the tomb of Prince Gong of Jing, Qichun, Hubei province, now in the Qichun County Museum, included in the exhibition Royal Taste. The Art of Princely Courts in Fifteenth-Century China, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, 2015, cat. no. 62, where it notes that the subject of jade ornaments were regulated by the Court, p. 62.

See also a pair of gold pendants in the form of phoenix grasping a flowering sprig, from the J.H. Wade collection, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, included in the exhibition The Arts of the T’Ang Dynasty, Los Angeles County Museum, Los Angeles, 1957, cat. no. 305.