A RARE ARCHAIC JADE CARVING OF A BIRD
Western Zhou Dynasty
Of flattened stylised form, with an aperture drilled at the breast, 4cm (1 1/2in) long; together with a calcified jade carving of a cicada, Han dynasty, 6cm (3 3/8in) long; and a green and russet jade chape, Warring States period, 4.7cm (1 3/4in) wide.
(3).

Footnotes:

Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價

西周 玉鳥 及 漢 雞骨白玉蟬、戰國 玉劍珌 一組三件

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Roger Keverne Ltd., Summer Exhibition, London, 2008, no.66. (cicada)

展覽著錄：Roger Keverne Ltd.，《夏季展覽》，倫敦，2008年，編號66（玉蟬）

See a similar jade cormorant pendant, Western Zhou dynasty, illustrated by J.Watt, Chinese Jades from the Collection of the Seattle Art Museum, 1989, p.36, no.12; another example of an arcaic jade bird is illustrated by J.Rawson and J.Ayers, Chinese Jade throughout the ages, OCS, 1975, no.68, from the collection of His late Majesty King Gustaf VI Adolf, and now in the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm; another example illustrated by S.Howard Hansford, Jade: Essence of hills and streams, The Von Oertzen Collection of Chinese and Indian Jades, London, 1969, A101; another example illustrated by J.F.So, Early Chinese Jades in the Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge MA, 2019, no.21A; and another example of a jade bird, Western Zhou dynasty, illustrated in the The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware 1, Hong Kong, 1995, nos.89-90.

See a similar jade carving of a bird, Western Zhou dynasty, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 November 2020, lot 2755.

The bird: considering its age, in good condition overall, some extremely small nicks to the extremities, typical of age; general surface wear.

The cicada: minor nicks to the extremities, typical of age, the largest approx 3mm wide; some general surface wear typical of age; some traces of encrustation.

The chape: some minor nicks and chips to the extremities, the largest approx 3mm long and rubbed down on the corner; natural flaws in the stone including fissure lines, possibly turning into cracks, approx 4cm long; general surface wear typical of age.