† A COMPLETE SET OF TWENTY RETICULATED WHITE JADE ‘AUTUMN HUNT’ BELT PLAQUES, JIN DYNASTY, CHINA, 1115-1234

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† A COMPLETE SET OF TWENTY RETICULATED WHITE JADE ‘AUTUMN HUNT’ BELT PLAQUES, JIN DYNASTY, CHINA, 1115-1234 Expert’s note Complete sets of reticulated belt plaques from the Jin dynasty are extremely rare. The scenes depicted here probably represent the annual autumn hunt, a subject characteristic of Liao and Jin dynasty belt plaques, while the relatively robust and unrefined workmanship is likewise consistent with the period. For a similarly decorated circular plaque dated to the Jin dynasty in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, see Fong and Watt, Possessing the Past, pl. 23. Compare also a related white jade plaque with a deer, crane, and pine, 8.7 cm long, dated Jin-Yuan dynasty, at Christie’s New York, 22 March 2024, lot 1209, sold for USD 6,048 or approx. EUR 5,600 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Given that a complete set is more valuable than the sum of its parts, this one auction result would suggest a value for the present lot of EUR 150,000 or more. Belt plaques dating to the Jin dynasty are a bit rarer than those from the Ming dynasty, despite that only one hundred years separate the two periods. Apart from differences in subject matter, earlier examples can often be distinguished by the character of their carving. The compositions are less rigidly ordered and disciplined, with individual elements not yet arranged in the almost seamless manner characteristic of later works. Likewise, the backgrounds tend to lack the sophisticated, finely pierced and meticulously organized patterns seen in Ming examples. Instead, Jin carvings frequently display a more expressive and individual character. Greater emphasis is placed on the movement and interaction of the animals, which are set against lively, sometimes almost chaotic arrangements of varied vegetation. This gives the compositions a remarkable sense of spontaneity and artistic freedom. Another notable feature of early examples is the exceptionally fine quality of the polish, which lends the surface a particularly smooth and refined appearance. Comprising twenty plaques, each carved in openwork. The larger rectangular plaques feature a spotted stag and bird facing a blossom amid a forest of foliage, the peach-form plaques with a stag surrounded by leaves, and the four small rectangular plaques detailed with stylized rocks and flowering plants. The finely polished, translucent stone is of a greenish-white color with lighter and darker inclusions. Dimensions: Length 4.1-7.7 cm With a padded storage box. (21) Literature comparison: Compare a related jade pendant carved with a bird, 3.8 cm long, dated to the Jin dynasty, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, object number 故玉004830N000000000. Compare also a similarly decorated circular plaque dated to the Jin dynasty in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, see Fong and Watt, Possessing the Past, pl. 23. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 29 May 2019, lot 620 Price: HKD 1,750,000 or approx. EUR 218,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare similar forms, openwork carving, color of the jade, and subject. Note the size (the largest 11 cm) and later dating. 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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