Jade. China, Eastern Zhou, 4th-3rd century BC龍形玉佩 -東周時代, 公元前4世紀-前3世紀

WIDTH: 12.2 cm寬 12.2 厘米

This dragon-shaped pendant, with a very simple design and decoration, has a definite character of expression. As with many other similar pendants carved in the Eastern Zhou period, the dragon is carved in profile, with an s-shaped body and a turned back, crested head. Three truncated appendages protrude from the bottom of the body: the tail is bifurcated and a bold curl at the bottom centre is framed by the arched body, which is pierced on top with a central hole for suspension. The dragon is carved from a roughly rectangular piece of jade and the shape of the body is established by cut-out areas that identify the curve in the neck, tail and limbs.

The patterns on the surface are divided into three distinct areas. The central, arched portion of the body is filled with linked squared scrolls while the neck and tail have an incised line in the centre and sets of incised double lines. Further lines are incised all along the border of the pendant, and on the head, where they mark the snout and oval eye.

The jade is almost totally chalky white with many speckles of brown. There are also some diffused areas in the form of small patches and stripes of an orange color, and a brownish strip on one side of the neck area, where the jade is more polished and probably where the only original and unaltered area remains. The central arched area has a marked slope and the jade is slightly thinner in the area where the suspension hole was drilled.

Literature comparison/Archaeological sites: The stone, alteration and surface decoration of this pendant are very similar to those on disc JAK917-036 in this auction, suggesting a common place of origin for the two jades. A very similar dragon pendant, but with completely plain surfaces, is in the Harvard Art Museums: see M. Loehr and L.G. Fitzgerald Huber, Ancient Chinese jades from the Grenville L. Winthrop collection in the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Fogg Art Museum (Cambridge, MA) 1975, no.429 (accession number 1943.50.431).

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.