Jade. China, Eastern Zhou, Warring States period, c. 4th century BC虎形玉飾 -東周戰國時代, 公元前4世紀

WIDTH: 7.2 cm寬 7.2 厘米

This cute, thin pendant shaped as a tiger in profile with an open mouth and a big curling tail has great character. The image has maintained the squared off shape of the piece of jade from which it was carved, which is further emphasized by the retracted limbs of the animal, and the tufts of hair on top of the head and below the chin. The tiger is basically flat with only a vague sense of relief on the unadorned areas of the face and legs. The body and the tail are decorated with a pattern of fat scrolls -called juanyun卷雲 in Chinese. Additional carved lines design the details of the claws, eye and the facial features of the tiger, as well the contour of the mouth. The very few cut-outs are located in the areas of the mouth, limbs and tail. There is also a hole for suspension in the top of the pendant that was drilled in the curve of the central scroll.

The whitish jade has a lovely amber tint to it, especially around the edges, and mostly in the areas where there are no decorations. The rest of the stone remains quite translucent.

Literature comparison/Archaeological sites: Comparable tiger-shaped jades have been discovered in the 4th century tombs of the kings of the Zhongshan state (Pingshan county, Henan province): one of them is reproduced in Mou Yongkang, Zhongguo yuqi quanji - 1 Yuanshi shehui 中國玉器全集–1:原始社會 (Chinese Jades: Vol.1, Early Societies), Hebei Meishu Chubanshe, Shijiazhuang 1993, no.122..

Expertise: Prof. Dr. Filippo Salviati

From an Austrian collection奧地利老佔有

All jades in this catalogue have been professionally examined, authenticated and described by Prof. Fillipo Salviati. Professor Salviati teaches Chinese and Korean art at Sapienza University in Rome, in the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies. He is a world expert on archaic Chinese jades, having released multiple publications and being cited by renowned auction houses such as Sotheby’s.