A RUSSET JADE 'CHILONG AND PHOENIX' PLAQUE, HAN

A CELADON AND RUSSET JADE SHE-SHAPED 'CHILONG AND PHOENIX' PLAQUE, HAN DYNASTY
China, 206 BC-220 AD. A phoenix and a chilong are resolutely carved in openwork and remarkably high relief to each side of the shield-shaped plaque, which itself is finely incised with a phoenix amid clouds to its backside. The semi-translucent stone is of a yellowish-celadon tone with extensive russet shadings and veining. The surface shows a fine, manually applied polish.

Provenance: From an Austrian private collection.
Condition: Good condition with old wear, signs of weathering and erosion, some small losses, the stone with natural fissures, some of which have developed into small hairline cracks over time.

Weight: 37.2 g
Dimensions: Height 6.5 cm, Width 5.5 cm

This ornament is truly a rare example of the masterful artistry of Han-dynasty jade carvers. Shaped like a shield, the design of this ornament is derived from the outline of rings that were designed to protect an archer's thumb when shooting arrows. During the Han dynasty, such thumb rings (she) developed into purely ornamental items embellished with very highly crafted animal motifs, as the one here.

Literature comparison: A very similar carving is in the Samuel and Myrna Myers collection and illustrated in J.P. Desroches (ed.), Two Americans in Paris. A Quest for Asian Art, Paris 2016, no. 174. Another related jade is published and illustrated in F. Salviati, 4000 Years of Chinese Archaic Jades, Edition Zacke, Vienna 2017, no. 325.

Auction result comparison: Compare a related white jade dragon pendant, dated Han dynasty or later, of similar size and related form, at Christie's Hong Kong in The Pavilion Sale Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 2 October 2017, lot 9, sold for HKD 650,000. Compare also a related archaistic pendant, dated Ming to Qing dynasty, at Sotheby's Hong Kong in Chinese Art on 28-29 November 2019, lot 816, sold for HKD 750,000 (part lot, together with an archaistic huan disk).

漢代青玉留皮雕鳳凰螭龍珮
中國，公元前206年至公元220年。玉珮鏤空浮雕鳳凰和螭龍，背面為祥雲紋。半透明的玉石呈青黃色調，大面積赤褐色玉皮和紋理。表面光滑細膩。

來源：奧地利私人收藏。
品相：狀況良好，舊時磨損，有風化和侵蝕的跡象，一些小缺損，石頭有天然脈絡，其中一些隨著時間的推移發展成細小的裂縫。

重量：37.2 克
尺寸：高6.5 厘米, 寬5.5 厘米

拍賣結果比較：一件白玉雕刻龍紋珮，漢代或更晚，尺寸和形狀相似，見香港佳士得The Pavilion Sale Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art 2017年10月2日 lot 9, 售價HKD 650,000. 一件同樣相近的仿古紋玉珮，明代至清代，見香港蘇富比 Chinese Art 2019年11月28-29日 lot 816, 售價HKD 750,000 (拍品中的一件，另一件為玉環)。