Description:

China, late Neolithic, Liangzhu period, ca. 2500 BCE. A stunning, large jade cong, made of green and deep brown nephrite. Nephrite in its purest form is white, and iron darkens it to the colors seen here. Carved using awls, drills, and abrasives, this cong has a wide, tubular center and a cuboid exterior that has been ground down to have smooth, narrow linear bands that run at regular intervals around each corner. The center of each side of the cube has been lightly ground down to form a narrow, shallow rectangular trench. This decorative motif is a series of highly stylized masks with bar-shaped mouths, designed to be viewed facing the corners. The texture of this piece is marvelous, with each corner lightly smoothed, and it invites you to run your hand down its length, feeling the cool jade underneath your palm. Interestingly, the interior has clearly been bow drilled with distinct meeting point where drills meet at the interior midpoint. Size: 3" W x 7.25" H (7.6 cm x 18.4 cm)

This item has been tested using XRF technology. It tests as nephrite jade.

Provenance: private R.D. collection, Long Beach, California, USA collection, acquired from the 1980s to 2000

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#189539

    Condition:
  • Repaired, almost invisibly, from 2 sections, small chip to one rim else extremely fine.

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November 15, 2024 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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