A SHINY GREEN DISC WITH A DELICATE PATTERN OF INCISED SCROLLS

Jade. China, Han Dynasty, 2nd century BC 穀紋玉璧 - 漢代, 公元前2世紀

This and the following lot are examples of jade discs that were crafted during the Han dynasty and decorated with patterns derived from the previous Eastern Zhou period. Both sides of this very beautiful shiny disc are covered with a delicate motif of differently orientated incised scrolls framed by two narrow, plain bands that define the borders around the central perforation and the perimeter.

The large hole is slightly off centre, thus the body of the disc shows some small variations in width. The disc is fairly uniform in thickness, except for a very noticeable section where the flat surface slopes down considerably towards the outer edge: here the jade is whitish and rough on both sides.

The disc appears almost black in colour but when held to the light one can perceive that it is actually a beautiful shade of lighter green, with spots, lines and diffused striations of black that indicate the high content of iron. The many patches of white and light brown add a patina to the otherwise shiny surface of the jade. There are also some noticeable chips around the external border.

From excavations, a similar disc was found in 1974 in tomb no.1 of the Zhongshan state royal cemetery at Nanqiji, in Pingshan county, Hebei province: it is published in Yang Boda (ed.), Zhongguo yuqi quanji: 3, Chunqiu Zhanguo中国玉器全集/3/春秋战国 (Chinese Jades: 3, Spring and Autumn and Warring States), Hebei 1993, no.212. Compare also a second disc in the Sam and Myrna Myers collection illustrated in F. Salviati, Radiant Stones. Archaic Chinese Jades, Paris 2000, no.40.

Provenance: From an old Austrian collection

DIAMETER 14.8 CM - HOLE 6 CM 直径14.8 厘米 - 孔徑 6 厘米

Expertise: Univ. Prof. Filippo Salviati

All jades in this catalogue have been professionally examined, authenticated and dated by Univ. Prof. Filippo Salviati. Professor Salviati teaches Chinese and Korean art at Sapienza University in Rome, in the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies. He is a world expert on archaic Chinese jades, having released multiple publications and being cited by renowned auction houses such as Sotheby's.