When starting a collection of any sort, it’s important to figure out what kinds of works you’re drawn to, a consideration that’s exponentially more vital when it comes to Chinese jades. Spanning millennia, the material comes in many colours and has been shaped into many forms. ‘It seems basic, but Chinese jades vary so much in both material and form,’ says Vicki Paloympis, head of Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art at Christie’s in New York. ‘Learning about them is a journey.’
In contrast, Ming dynasty jades (1368-1644) are often carved from different coloured stones and exhibit a soft high polish, while Qing dynasty (1644-1911) examples, which some people argue are the highest-quality carvings, are often found in white, translucent stones, and sometimes, in coloured stones.
In China’s history, there were two major peaks of intense antiquarian interest: the first during the Northern Song dynasty, 11th-12th centuries, and the second during the late Ming-early Qing dynasty, 16th-18th centuries.
‘When I first began learning about jade carvings, I was attracted to the flashier, larger carvings. As my expertise grew, I began to value the finesse of the smaller carvings,’ says Paloympis.
‘In these smaller examples, you can really begin to appreciate the skill of the lapidary artist, who was able to bring so much detail and life into just a small stone.’
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Familiarise yourself with Chinese forms
Chinese artists have a certain aesthetic taste, and this is seen in diverse mediums such as porcelain and pottery, cloisonné and lacquer. Once you have accustomed your eye to the proportions and silhouettes of Chinese forms, this will inform your entire collecting experience.
A good tip for a novice jade collector would be to look for forms that you are already familiar with in other mediums. ‘Once you have mastered these jade objects you can branch to the less familiar,’ says Paloympis.
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Explore hidden messages
The jade group below is carved as a horse tethered to a pole accompanied by a seated monkey. Individually, the monkey (hou) symbolizes cleverness and agility while the horse (ma) represents strength and speed.
The depiction of the two together represents the rebus ma shang feng hou, which may be translated as ‘may you receive a swift promotion to a high rank of office’. This popular motif would have been used to confer good wishes to ambitious individuals.
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Assess the quality of the piece
Chinese jade lapidary artists exercised their superior technical abilities to demonstrate their understanding of the material. ‘This type of attention to the stone is what separates a master carver from a novice and is a sign of quality,’ Paloympis says.
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Become familiar with composition
A good example of the high technical skill of Chinese artists is this finely carved jade feline-form vessel and cover.
‘When you look closely at the facial features of the beast, the details of the cover, and the use of the stone, you can really feel the energy that was conveyed and understand why Chinese jade carvers are so respected for their talents,’ Paloympis remarks.
Just as some collectors will connect personally with a marriage bowl, others may be drawn to jades that illustrate scenes from famous texts or poems, or carvings of specific animals. Others still, who like the ocean, may prefer nautical-themed jades.
For collectors who appreciate scholar’s objects, they should consider jades based on traditional forms, such as the above jade qin-form box and cover, which was based on the Chinese musical instrument qin, which can be seen in a scholar’s studio. The present example is also cleverly carved with poetic descriptions describing the pursuit of musical perfection.
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Understand the market ...
At the height of the Chinese market in 2011, prices were high for both white jades and spinach-green jades. But more recently clients are searching for 18th-century white, translucent jades with perfect stone, rather than examples in other colours. This presents an opportunity for new collectors.
‘If you’re a new collector and you know the market is really strong for white jade, you might want to try to find a different area and collect spinach-green jades or Ming jades, for example. The prices will be a little bit more affordable,’ Paloympis says.
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... And find the right place to start
Jade snuff bottles are a good place for new collectors to start. ‘Often they’re priced at a more moderate level, but they still have the same quality and characteristics of other kinds of jades,’ the specialist explains. And they may display some of the same design motifs: floral patterns, auspicious phrases, and even the peonies and butterflies.
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‘If I were a new collector, I would go for those really small, beautiful, auspicious carvings. The prices are going to be lower because they’re small,’ Paloympis says. ‘So go for something smaller in size, but higher in quality.’
To get the full experience of collecting, you have to love what you collect. It is good to have an understanding of the market, but in the end, the satisfaction will come from living with a piece that you love and can appreciate on a day-to-day basis.