† A RARE AND MASSIVE MOTTLED GREEN JADE CONG, QIJIA CULTURE

拍品描述

† A RARE AND MASSIVE MOTTLED GREEN JADE CONG, QIJIA CULTURE Expert authentication: 1. Dr. Gu Fang has examined the present lot and guarantees its authenticity and the dating above. He assessed it as a piece of notably good quality. A copy of Dr. Gu's signed and notarized expertise, dated 26 February 2007, accompanies this lot. Dr. Gu Fang (born 1962) is an internationally renowned scholar of Chinese art and a leading authority on jades. He graduated from the Department of Archaeology at the prestigious Beijing University in 1986 and later studied at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), where he now serves as a Senior Fellow specializing in archaeological excavations and Chinese jade research. A former visiting scholar at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, he has authored several books on Chinese jades, including the 15-volume The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China (2007), one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind, as well as Chinese Jade: The Spiritual and Cultural Significance of Jade in China (2012). 2. Sam Myers has examined the present lot and confirms its authenticity and the dating above. He appraised it at a value of USD 35,000 or approx. EUR 41,500 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). A copy of the valuation from Myrna Myers Arts d’Extrême Orient, Paris, written and signed by Sam Myers, dated 5 May 2017, accompanies this lot. Sam Myers is a scholar and expert of Chinese jades and works of art with over 50 years of experience. In 1976, his wife Myrna Myers opened a gallery in Paris specializing in Asian art, and together the couple built an extraordinary art collection, including one of the world’s most distinguished jade collections, published in numerous catalogs and seen around the world in a number of important museum exhibitions. Expert’s note: This particular example of jade cong is an extraordinary masterpiece, featuring a spectacular combination of plain form, a dark green stone of exceptional mineral quality, and an exceedingly large scale. The latter attribute aligns it directly with the renowned Royal Jade Cong, unearthed in the tomb at the Fanshan cemetery, the richest of all Liangzhu burial sites in terms of both quantity and quality of grave goods. The Royal Jade Cong is remarkable for its impressive dimensions, measuring 17.5 centimeters wide and weighing 6.5 kilograms. It has accordingly been referred to as the ‘King of Cong’ and is widely regarded as one of the most impressive examples of jade cong from the Liangzhu culture. Notably, the dimensions and weight of the present cong are even greater than those of the Royal Jade Cong. China, 2100-1600 BC. Well carved, the thick-sided square-section faceted exterior is left undecorated, terminating in a short circular foot and mouth, the interior aperture of characteristic circular section, the highly polished stone of an attractive mottled dark sea-green tone. Dimensions: Height 24 cm (excl. stand), 28.7 cm (incl. stand) With an associated stand. (2) The shape of the present jade cong is common in jade production dating from the Neolithic period to the Shang dynasty, which was characterized by a square outer section around a circular inner part. Heaven is symbolized as a circle and earth is a square. Although the precise meaning and function of the cong remain unknown to this day, one of many interpretations is that it protected the body against evil spirits and malign influences. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 16 March 2017, lot 801 Price: USD 40,000 or approx. EUR 47,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, stone, and manner of carving. Note the much smaller size (6.3 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 May 2021, lot 2912 Price: HKD 2,250,000 or approx. EUR 275,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing) Expert remark: Compare the related form and manner of carving. Note the smaller size (15 cm). 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.

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