The construction of this ornament is highly unusual with the nine separate jade pieces strung on an iron rod which pierces the backs of the animal head terminals at both ends. The trace of textile markings over the upper surface of this garment-hook suggests it was either wrapped in, or placed next to, fine gauze.

The best known, highly elaborate composite jade garment hook is illustrated in Jades from the Tomb of the King of Nanyue, 1991, Chinese University of Hong Kong, exhibition catalogue, pls. 116-118.

The different sections form the intertwined bodies of a dragon which forms the hook, and a tiger, at the terminal. This example, too, has been stained by the iron core and cracked in places by rust. The present example has an abstract dragon head and the abstract style of the other elements make up the body of the beast, with only the tiger’s head rendered in a contrasting more pictorial style. Another semi-abstract composite jade with three animal heads joined by seven other jades with horizontal ribs (two with unusual flanged sides) from the Winthrop Collection, is illustrated by Salmony in Carved Jade of Ancient China, pl. LVIII, no. 4