Han Dynasty Chicken Bone White Jade Pig-shaped Pillow

拍品描述

Dimensions：Total Length 18.5 cm (7.3 in), Height 8 cm (3.1 in), Weight 1987g, 2nd Century BCE – 2nd Century CECondition & Provenance：The jade pillow is entirely intact with no missing sections, breaks or restorations. All fissures on the surface are natural burial cracks without artificial chipping, grinding or repair work. Fine incised decorative lines remain crisp and distinct, facial carving details are fully preserved. Thick, mellow ancient patina covers the whole piece, blended russet and brown earth stains naturally formed over millennia. It was once collected by a veteran Hong Kong collector specializing in pre-Tang ancient jade, then purchased by a private ancient jade collector based in Manhattan, New York, USA in 2021, accompanied by complete provenance files.Description：This pig-form pillow carved from chicken bone white jade is a top-tier noble artifact of the Han Dynasty, serving daily resting use and elite burial ritual, symbolizing wealth, harvest and auspicious blessing in ancient China. Carved from a single solid block of chicken bone white jade, the piece takes the form of a recumbent domestic pig with a stout, full silhouette, crafted with bold, minimalist lines that define the powerful, straightforward artistic style of Han jade carving. The head features realistic detailing: oval indented eye sockets paired with small circular pupils, a short broad snout marked by two horizontal folds, and two distinct nostrils at the tip. Simplified abstract geometric cloud patterns are thinly incised across the back with delicate hairline carving, a signature craft technique of Han jadework. Subtle shallow outlines on the sides depict the pig’s limbs, while the short square tail sits at the rear; the flat broad base allows stable upright display. Thousands of years of underground burial transformed the jade into mottled tan chicken bone white tone, accented with natural rust-red and dark gray mineral stains. Natural web-like fissures spread across the underside, with mineral infiltration sinking deep into the jade grain without modern artificial staining. The fully calcified jade body carries silky, layered ancient patina that delivers smooth oily texture when held. Small jade pig hand grips are common Han relics, yet full-size solid jade pig pillows of this scale are extraordinarily scarce on the U.S. antique market. This specimen fully retains all core Han jade craftsmanship including rough stone cutting, figure shaping and fine hairline incising. It acts as an essential reference artifact for academic research on Han burial customs, jade carving technology and mineral patina formation, a museum-grade rare treasure for North American ancient jade collectors with outstanding research value and long-term market appreciation potential.

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