SONG-MING DYNASTY (AD 960-1644)

Details

A WHITE JADE FIGURAL BEAD
SONG-MING DYNASTY (AD 960-1644)
The bead is carved as a foreigner with pendulous earlobes suspending hoops and a neat coiffure tied at the back of the head, and is shown wearing robes with long sleeves. The bead is pierced longitudinally and the stone is of even white tone.
2 in. (5.1 cm.) high

Provenance

Robert H. Ellsworth (1929-2014), New York.
Anthony Carter, London, 29 March 2004.
The LJZ Collection, United States.

Literature

A. Carter, The LJZ Collection of Chinese Jades, London, 2022, pp. 14-15, no. 2.

Conditions of sale

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Lot Essay

This small white jade figural bead appears to represent a foreigner. His long robes, earrings, unusual head covering and facial features are reminiscent to those of a figural bead (5.9 cm.) dated Tang, illustrated by Jessica Rawson, “Chinese Jade throughout the ages”, T.O.C.S., vol. 40, 1973-75, p. 74, no. 212. An even smaller (4.5 cm.) white jade bead of a bearded foreigner wearing long robes is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 41 - Jadeware (II), Hong Kong, 1995, p. 100, pl. 87.

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