† A SUPERB CELADON AND RUSSET JADE ‘TIGER’ PENDANT, LATE SHANG DYNASTY

拍品描述

† A SUPERB CELADON AND RUSSET JADE ‘TIGER’ PENDANT, LATE SHANG DYNASTY Expert authentication: Dr. Gu Fang has examined the present lot and confirms its authenticity and the dating above, noting the style of cutting, workmanship, thickness, and quality of stone with decomposed areas indicating burial, all suggesting a dating to 1600-1100 BC. He assessed it as a piece of notably good quality. A signed copy of Dr. Gu's expertise, dated 3 February 2023, accompanies this lot. Dr. Gu Fang (born 1962) is an internationally renowned scholar of Chinese art and a leading authority on jades. He graduated from the Department of Archaeology at the prestigious Beijing University in 1986 and later studied at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), where he now serves as a Senior Fellow specializing in archaeological excavations and Chinese jade research. A former visiting scholar at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, he has authored several books on Chinese jades, including the 15-volume The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China (2007), one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind, as well as Chinese Jade: The Spiritual and Cultural Significance of Jade in China (2012). China, 1600-1100 BC. Finely carved, of flattened form, the feline depicted in a recumbent stance, with the legs tucked beneath the body, whose fur is rendered through subtle relief work and finely incised lines, extending into a flowing tail that curves alongside the haunches. The stylized head, with expressive features, is defined primarily by a large eye and a toothed mouth, both boldly incised. The reverse is pierced with two apertures, one on either side, intended for suspension. The superbly polished, semi-translucent stone displays an appealing deep celadon tone, accented by icy white inclusions and patches of opaque russet along the edges. Dimensions: Length 9.2 cm The tiger, known in Chinese as ‘hu’ or ‘laohu’, is among the most widely recognized examples of charismatic megafauna. Native to China and northern Central Asia, it was known to early Chinese societies, which likely regarded it with a combination of awe, reverence, and respect for its strength, ferocity, and majestic presence. Although the precise nature of its symbolism during the Shang period remains uncertain, the tiger appears to have fulfilled important totemic, protective, and talismanic roles. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related jade knife pendant in the form of a tiger, China, late Shang dynasty, Anyang phase, c. 1250-1050 BC, 5.7 cm long, in the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Asian Art, accession number S1987.839. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 30 May 2017, lot 20 Price: HKD 562,500 or approx. EUR 71,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related subject, and manner of carving. Note the smaller size (3.9 cm) and that the lot also comprises a jade carving of a bird. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 29 October 2025, lot 302 Mid-estimate: HKD 125,000 or approx. EUR 14,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related subject, and manner of carving. Note the different color of the stone and slightly smaller size (7.7 cm). 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU. 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.

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