This bronze bell has a distinctive finial in the shape of the Merlion holding a dagger. Made in the 20th century, it was donated by the sixth President of Singapore, Sellapan Ramanathan (commonly referred to as S. R. Nathan) to the museum. The inscription “Manila Hotel” may refer to the oldest hotel in Manila. Built in 1909, the Manila Hotel is still in use today.The Merlion is a mythical creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. It was designed as the mascot of Singapore for the Singapore Tourism Board in 1964. The fish body represents Singapore's beginnings as a fishing village, while the lion head represents the original name of the port, Singapura ( “lion city” in Malay).Creatures with the body of a fish and the head of a lion are found in the artistic traditions of many cultures. In Buddhist art hybrid creatures with the characteristics of lions and fish are known as Makara, and lions with fishtails have been found on Buddhist murals at Ajanta, dating from the 2nd century BC to the 7th century AD. The coat of arms of the East India Company features two lion-fish on either side of a shield.
