Dating of objects remain problematic in many areas of Chinese art. While some materials such as pottery and bronze can be tested with a relative degree of accuracy, one cannot test jades, and thus, having an experienced eye is of paramount importance. One must be aware and most cautious of imitations as copies become increasingly sophisticated. Therefore, pieces with provenance are highly valued and sought after. We have gradually put together this group of objects over the last five years despite being unable to travel due to the global pandemic. While we are, perhaps, best known for our jade animal carvings, we have included several figural ‘boys’ and human and beast composites spanning a period of almost 2000 years. The pieces have exceptional provenance, were published in various museum exhibitions, and or come from renowned collections.
Fine Art Asia, Hong Kong, October 2020
A speckled brown, grey and pale celadon jade model of a mythical beast, China: Six Dynasties (220–581)
A black and white jade carving of a boy playing ‘blind man's buff’, China: Song|Jin dynasty, 11|12th century
A yellow and russet jade model of a recumbent mythical beast, China: Ming dynasty, early 17th century
A yellow, caramel and deep russet jade model of a recumbent horse, colours to the head and rest of the body, China: Ming dynasty (1368–1644), wood stand
A celadon and russet jade model of a standing boy wearing a long sleeved robe, China: Ming dynasty, 16|17th century
A white jade pebble-form model of a crouching rabbit, China: Qianlong period (1736–95)