Superb carved Chinese Jade covered urn, 19th Century.
Very fine nephrite jade delicately carved in form of compressed baluster shape, heavy on the lower body tapered gracefully to the waisted neck below the slightly flared rim, with domed lid beneath the simply bud finial, raised on splayed foot base. Set at the shoulder with a pair of dragons handles. The main body delicately carved in reliefs simulating a taotie mask with the seeing eyes under the arched, elongated eyebrow entwined beneath the archaic dragon crown encircling the neck. Both opening rim banded with interlocking tropical lappets.
Jade shows grayish-celadon color and golden russet inclusions and with moist milky appearance.


Dimensions: 203.2mm H x 80.69mm W
Weight: 500.4g


LOT NOTES:
Taotie - Ogre Mask - a sacrificial animal and a warning against avarice, gluttony, sensuality, self indulgence. Stylized Full-face zoomorphic mask with ears, horns and large fangs, but without a lower jaw. In some bronzes the similarity with a water buffalo head without a lower jaw is obvious, but in many others instances this is not the case. It appears on bronze vessels of the Shang dynasty and thereafter on objects in various media, especially those with archaistic decoration. These fantastic creatures may have served as intermediaries between the world of men and the realms of the spirits.

Over all in EXCELLENT condition.
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