Jade and Hardstone - Winter 2007 Exhibition

Jade and Hardstone

	78 A fine archaic jade axe Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture, circa 2500 BC Length: 6 1/2 in, 16.5 cm the faces of the slender slab of jade are convex and the sides flare towards a curved, bevelled cutting edge.
	79 A fine archaic jade axe Neolithic period, circa 3000–2500 BC Length: 4 7/8 in, 12.4 cm the slab of jade tapers in thickness towards the rounded cutting edge and has sloping sides. A hole in the butt end has been drilled from both faces.
	80 An archaic jade hairpin Late Shang dynasty Length: 5 1/2 in, 14 cm the pin is of circular section tapering to a point and has a pierced top in the form of a crested bird standing on top of another bird.
	81 An archaic jade hairpin Late Shang or Western Zhou dynasty Length: 8 1/4 in, 21 cm with a bent top ending in a flat circular knop above a decorative section comprising four stylised blooms separated by three pierced oval loops.
	82 A good jade water pot in the form of a mythical beast 17th century Length: 4 3/8 in, 11.1 cm crouching on all fours with its head slightly raised; it has a circular aperture in its back.
	83 A fine jade boulder 18th century Height: 6 1/2 in, 16.5 cm in the form of a mountain and retaining the natural shape of the stone.
	84 A jade figure of a goose 17th–18th centuries Length: 2 1/8 in, 5.3 cm the bird rests with its head turned over its back and holds a large spray of millet in its beak.
	85 A jade figure of a squirrel 17th century Length: 2 1/4 in, 5.7 cm crouching, with a spray of fruiting vine in its mouth.
	86 A small jade group of monkeys 18th century Height: 1 3/8 in, 3.5 cm a young monkey stands on the feet of an adult who sits holding a peach in its right hand.
	87 A fine jade figure of a chilong 18th century Length: 2 1/4 in, 5.7 cm the curling dragon, formed from a small pebble, bites its tail.
	88 A fine jade bowl 18th century Diameter: 6 1/4 in, 15.9 cm the sides flare steeply from a recessed base and straighten briefly at the rim.
	89 A very fine jade figure of a qilin 17th–18th centuries Length: 3 3/8 in, 8.6 cm worked from a small pebble, the animal is depicted in a recumbent position with one foreleg raised and its head turned over its back, as if it has just been disturbed.
	90 A fine jade mythical beast Late Ming dynasty Height: 3 1/2 in, 8.9 cm seated on its haunches with its head slightly raised.
	91 A small jade boulder 18th century Height: 3 1/2 in, 8.9 cm worked in high relief as a craggy mountain. One side shows a gentleman and his attendant walking along a path beneath a pavilion and a gnarled pine,
	92 A small jade boulder 18th century Height: 4 1/2 in, 11.3 cm of approximately triangular section, the jade is pierced and worked in various depths of relief with a gentleman and his attendant, who tends a tea- or wine-pot on a stove, in a boat on a fast-flowing river beneath craggy rocks, pine and another tree, and clouds.
	93 A very fine and rare jade brush pot (bitong ) Qianlong period Height: 3 3/4 in, 9.6 cm of bracketed quatrefoil section with straight sides, slightly flaring towards the rim, and supported on four curving bracket feet.
	94 A jade lotus water vessel Late Ming dynasty Length: 4 1/4 in, 10.8 cm formed of a large lotus leaf of approximately circular section and compressed globular form, with a wavy rim.
	95 A jade lotus vase 17th–18th centuries Height: 5 in, 12.7 cm the vessel is worked in the form of a large lotus leaf with curling edges, with further leaves, a flower and a pod worked in high relief to the sides; the stems are tied to form a stable base.
	96 A rare small jade purse and cover 18th century Height: 2 1/4 in, 5.7 cm of slender oval section, the purse has straight sides rising from a spreading foot, and the cover is surmounted by a finial in the form of a Buddhist lion.
	97 A fine and rare small jade box and cover 18th century Diameter: 2 in, 5.1 cm of circular form with straight sides. The box and cover are completely plain to emphasise the beauty of the semitranslucent white stone, which has very slight russet veins and bears a soft polish.
	98 A jade box and cover 18th century Length: 2 1/2 in, 6.3 cm of quatrefoil form with lobed sides and supported on a short, spreading foot.
	99 A small jade peach cup 18th century Length: 1 7/8 in, 4.8 cm in the form of half a peach on an openwork stem from which leaves and smaller peaches grow.
	100 A good jade table screen 18th century 6 3/4 x 4 5/8 in, 17.2 x 11.7 cm the slab of jade is worked in various depths of relief to one side only with a scholar, carrying a staff, and his attendant, with a basket, walking uphill in a mountainous landscape with two deer, a gnarled pine, bamboo and lingzhi fungus, all beneath clouds.
	101 A fine jade pendant 17th century Height: 2 5/8 in, 6.7 cm based on an archaic ornamental jade archer’s thumb ring.
	102 A fine mallow-shaped jade dish 18th century Diameter: 4 5/8 in, 11.8 cm the thinly worked dish has a flat, slightly recessed base and flaring sides.
	103 A Moghul jade water pot 17th–18th centuries Diameter: 3 1/2 in, 8.9 cm of circular section with a compressed globular body rising to a slightly flaring neck, and supported on a conical foot ring.
	104 A fine jade foliate dish 18th century Diameter: 5 3/4 in, 14.6 cm of circular form with eight petal lobes, supported on a spreading foot.
	105 A fine small jade vase Qianlong period Height: 3 5/8 in, 9.2 cm of square section and archaic bronze gu form. The tall, flaring neck and hollow spreading foot are worked in low relief with bands of stiff leaves, and each face of the swollen waist with an archaistic taotie mask.
	106 An unusual jade vase 18th century Height: 5 in, 12.7 cm of oval section with an ovoid body, a long neck swelling at the mouth and terminating in a tapered rim, and a spreading foot that steps inwards to a short ring.
	107 A fine jade vase 18th century Height: 4 1/4 in, 10.8 cm of slender oval section, the sides flare steeply from a spreading foot to a tapering neck, from which two pierced lug handles issue, swell at the mouth and terminate in an upright rim.
	108 A jade vase Late Ming dynasty Height: 8 1/2 in, 21.5 cm based on an archaic bronze beaker (gu ), with a square section, a widely flaring neck, a swollen waist and a spreading foot.
	109 A fine jade figure of a phoenix 17th century Length: 4 1/2 in, 11.5 cm depicted in a recumbent posture with its head turned over its back and holding a spray of leafy, fruiting peach in its beak.
	110 A jade figure of a phoenix 18th century Height: 4 1/8 in, 10.5 cm seated, and holding a large spray of leafy chrysanthemum in its beak.
	111 A very fine and rare jade disc 18th century Diameter: 3 5/8 in, 9.2 cm the even slab of jade is pierced in the centre with delicate entwined open petals forming a blossom.
	112 A fine large jade group of gourds 18th century Height: 5 1/4 in, 13.3 cm a large double gourd issues from a twisting, woody stem bearing further leaves, smaller gourds and tendrils that trail over the main fruit.
	113 A stone head of a Bodhisattva Northern Qi dynasty Height: 8 3/4 in, 22.2 cm the Bodhisattva has a full, oval face with downcast, almond-shaped eyes beneath ridged brows, the lines of which continue downwards to the slender nose, a small mouth with full lips and long earlobes.
	114 A rare rock crystal cup Liao dynasty Length: 3 3/4 in, 9.5 cm of quatrefoil section with well-rounded sides supported on a spreading oval foot.
	115 A fine chalcedony double vase 18th century Height: 5 1/4 in, 13.2 cm in the form of a section of knotted tree trunk with uneven rings to the base.
	116 A fine chalcedony model of a mythical beast 18th century Length: 3 in, 7.6 cm in a recumbent posture with its head raised. It has a short, curling horn, leaf-shaped ears, incised eyebrows, a pointed muzzle, a long, incised bifid tail, prominent ribs and clawed paws.
	117 A chalcedony brush washer 18th century Length: 3 1/2 in, 8.9 cm in the form of an open lingzhi fungus borne on a stem which curls around the base of the vessel, making a stable foot, and from which further fungus issues.
	118 A fine soapstone figure of a luohan 18th century Height: 4 in, 10.2 cm seated cross-legged and holding a flywhisk in both hands, which rest on his knees.
	119 An unusual agate brush pot (bitong ) 18th century Height: 4 1/2 in, 11.4 cm in the form of a section of tree trunk with the rings of the tree visible on the wavy rim.