A CELADON JADE CEREMONIAL AXE, YUE, NEOLITHIC PERIOD

拍品描述

A CELADON JADE CEREMONIAL AXE, YUE, NEOLITHIC PERIOD Expert authentication: Sam Bernstein has authenticated this lot, confirming the dating above. A copy of Sam Bernstein’s expertise, dated 6 January 2020, accompanies this lot. Sam Bernstein is an internationally recognized specialist dealer in Chinese antiquities. He has authored thirteen volumes on Chinese art including The Emperor's Jade Suit and Chinese Jade: The Immortal Stone. Over the past several decades, S. Bernstein & Co. has helped to form some of the great collections of Oriental art in the world, with clients including The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Birmingham Museum of Art, Corning Museum of Glass, Hong Kong Museum of History, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Greater Victoria Museum of Art, The Margaret & Trammel S. Crow Asian Collection, The Samuel P. Harn Museum, Louisiana State University Museum of Art, Northwestern University Collection, and The Phoenix Art Museum. Expert’s note: According to Sam Bernstein, the present carving exhibits evidence of early reworking along the mounting edge, as indicated by the unusual second perforation located closer to the hafting margin. Both perforations display characteristics consistent with traditional lapidary techniques, having been drilled with a bamboo tube, water, and a sand-based abrasive. These features closely correspond to excavated examples and strongly suggest that the secondary perforation was executed during an early stage in the life of the artefact. China, circa 3rd millennium BC. Of trapezoidal form, expertly carved with a curved, beveled cutting edge and two hafting perforations of unequal size, drilled from both faces and retaining a pronounced central ridge. The exquisitely polished, translucent stone is of a rich celadon tone, enlivened by dark veining, whitish clouding and mottling, and light brown inclusions. A distinctive area of opaque creamy-white alteration is visible at one corner of the hafting edge, resulting from long-term mineral transformation during millennia of interment. Dimensions: Length 22.4 cm While the term ‘axe’ is commonly used in English to describe these objects, several more specific designations exist in Chinese. Ceremonial jade blades of trapezoidal form with either a straight or slightly curved cutting edge are known as ‘yue’. Produced over an exceptionally long period, from the Neolithic era through the Zhou dynasty, the yue was a ceremonial implement rather than a functional weapon. Mounted on a wooden shaft, it served as an emblem of political and military authority and was carried by high-ranking officials as a symbol of power. Jade axes like the present lot are considerably rarer than ‘bi’ discs or ‘cong’ tubes. Archaeological evidence suggests that they were reserved for the highest-ranking burials, where typically only a single example accompanied the deceased, underscoring their exceptional status and symbolic importance. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 October 2023, lot 3711 Price: HKD 279,400 or approx. EUR 33,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and stone. Note the related size (20.6 cm) Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s London, 6 November 2012, lot 74 Price: GBP 15,000 or approx. EUR 26,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and manner of carving. Note the size (17.7 cm).

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