Is this Heraldic?

[Chas]

I have the feeling that this was added into the chest. Possibly by someone who did not know heraldicly what they were doing.

I am not saying that it is a bad carving, just that as far as heraldry is concerned, it makes no sense. On the left is the back end of some aquatic animal (tail, belly and dorsal fins), but it does not seem to be connected to the head of the beast.

The lower claws have the bulbous pads that are typically Eastern (but were later copied for 'claw and ball' feet) - so they could be either one.

The lower jaw is very European fish like, but the fins behind the mouth are pure Chinese. Which brings us to the mouth. I have never seen one that is round like that. Likewise the teeth, they should be sharp and pointy (they are supposed to look frightening). I have never seen a tongue that looks like that. It looks like the spike at the top of railings.

Then, above the head, two railing spikes again with the addition of a smooth spike (a la unicorn). They are not heraldic spikes.

I think that the chest was made by a cabinetmaker, quite possibly English, and that the carvings (shield and frieze) were added later by a local (non-European) craftsman who had seen the design, but did not know what he was seeing.

It was quite popular at one time for diplomats to have their furniture 'embellished' on their overseas postings. My mother has a German made table cabinet that had an Indian Bhow Tree carved on the front and a Moroccan frieze praising Allah running round the top.