Interesting Small Knotted Horsehair Brush Mexican folk art tigers make a terrifically satisfying clap

make a terrifically satisfying clap when struck--in addition to being wonderful objects that feel great in the hand

as with the two "captive" rings on the stem of this one

I have not tried to clean it

2 3/8" x 1 3/8" ea

Interesting Small Knotted Horsehair Brush Mexican folk art tigers make a terrifically satisfying clapI think it is possible that this is a fly whisk or a horsetail whisk brush, which from what I understand are common to Asia, both as tokens of Taoism (shooing away evils) and with the practical function of brushing away the flies, mosquitoes. etc. But I am not certain! What made me fall in love with it is the construction, with each small bunch of horsehair carefully knotted onto what appears to be thread, which wraps around what appears to be a thin