Sculpted in pewter and lavished with 24K gilding, an inquisitive pair of rats looks toward a future filled with optimism. The gilded animals stand out against the inky darkness of their rocky perch, itself contrasted against a robust cubic base in crimson composite resin carved with abstract waves, rocks and clouds.

Folk tales recount the oriental zodiac's origins with the story of the Great Race, called by the deity the Jade Emperor to assign each year in the 12-year cycle an animal in the order they reached him by crossing a river. First past the post was the Rat, then the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.

Included is a H4cm x 12cm landscape format engraving plate for personalisation.

About the collection
The Rat is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac. Those born in the Year of the Rat (1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020) share the character traits of wit, imagination and curiosity, and are considered dependable, determined and believers in lifelong alliances.