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I have this little gold bull, which looks like it was to hang on a chain. I am not sure i t is Chinese or Japanese, but that is one of the places my grandmother traveled and brought things back from. It is small, only 1" high and 1 1/2" long, not counting the horns. It is heavy. The eyes are red, inset, not paint or enamel, more like stones. As you can see, one hind leg is bent, but I don't dare try to bend it back. Does anyone have any idea about this little fellow?

Probably gilded lead tourist curio, might have been on brass bracelet.

Good luck,
Cal

I don't think it could have been on a bracelet. It is not that small, and way too heavy to wear around the wrist. Plus, I don't think the horns would work either! Probably a necklace.

Your gold bull is a watch fob worn by master butchers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I have one which belonged to a friend of my grandfather who passed away in the early 1900s. Mine is identical in size, horns, eyes, etc. It is made of lead and gold plated. The soft lead allows the horns and legs to bend easily if dropped.

Wow! That makes perfect sense! A relative on my father's side was a butcher! We used to have an old cow's hairball in the garage. This fob is much nicer! Thanks so much.

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