A PALE CELADON JADE ‘HARE’ PENDANT, LATE SHANG TO WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTYChina, 1100-1000 BC. Depicted crouching with its feet tucked underneath, slightly protruding eyes beneath short ears, and pierced through the mouth for suspension. The translucent stone of a pale celadon tone with darker shadings and areas of white calcification.Provenance: From the collection of Dr. Wou Kiuan. Wou Lien-Pai Museum, coll. no. -H. Dr. Wou Kiuan (1910-1997) was a Chinese diplomat and noted scholar of Chinese art. His father, Wou Lien-Pai (1873-1944), was one the leading political figures of early 20th century China, remembered for his role as speaker and leader of parliament during the turbulent years of the Republican era. Dr. Wou himself embarked on an illustrious career in diplomacy until his retirement in 1952, when he settled in London and devoted the rest of his life to the study of Chinese art. It was no doubt fortuitous that Dr. Wou’s years of collecting coincided with an abundant availability of exceptional Chinese art on the London market. From the mid-1950s to the late 1960s he was able to form a collection of well over 1,000 works that together represented virtually every category of Chinese art. At the heart of Dr. Wou’s drive to collect was a burning desire to preserve the relics of China’s rich historical past scattered across Europe, and to promote Chinese art and culture. It is unclear when Dr. Wou conceived of the idea to create a place to house his collection, but in 1968 he opened the doors to the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, named in honor of his father. Over the years the Museum became a ‘must see’ destination for collectors, academics, and visiting dignitaries, and Dr. Wou would delight in leading his visitors through the galleries, recounting stories of China’s glorious history.Condition: Very good condition with expected old wear, some weathering, calcification and minuscule nibbling.Weight: 6.7 gDimensions: Length 3.5 cmLiteratureparison:Compare a closely related jade pendant of a rabbit, late Shang dynasty to Western Zhou dynasty, 3.5 cm, in the Smithsonian Museum, accession number .pare two closely related rabbit-form pendants, dated to the late Shang dynasty, excavated from Tomb no. 2 at Jingjiecun, Lingshi, Shanxi Province, in the Shangxi Provincial Institute of Archeology, and illustrated in Theplete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China, vol. 3, Beijing, 2005, p. 62-63.Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 3 December 2021, lot 840Price: HKD 94,500 or approx.EUR 11,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: An archaic jade 'hare' plaque, Shang dynastyExpert remark:pare the related form, pose, and manner of carving. Note the larger size (5.9 cm) and different color of the jade.Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Sotheby’s New York, 22 March 2022, lot 36Price: