Page 17 - March 16, 2017 Chinese Art, The Harris Collection, Christies

802
802
A SMALL GREYISH-GREEN JADE ‘BUFFALO’
LATE SHANG-EARLY WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY,
12TH-10TH CENTURY BC
Possibly a necklace closure, the thick plaque is carved as a
recumbent water bufalo with legs tucked under the body and
head turned to the side, the horns carved in thread relief. The
reverse is more cursorily detailed. There is a bull-nose hole
below the nose and a bi-conical hole drilled through the body.
1æ in. (4.5 cm.) wide
$4,000-6,000
PROVENANCE
The Erwin Harris Collection, Miami, Florida, by 1995.
Compare the similar jade water bufalo carved in fat relief and
dated to the Shang dynasty in the Mrs. Edward Sonnenschein
Collection, Chicago, illustrated by A. Salmony, Carved Jade of
Ancient China, 1938, pl. XXIII (8). See, also, the example in the
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, illustrated by J. Rawson, ‘Animal
Motifs in Early Western Zhou Bronzes from the Arthur M.
Sackler Collections, Chinese Bronzes: Selected articles from
Orientations, 1983-2000, Hong Kong, p. 20, fg. 12.
商晚期/西周早期 玉牛
803
803
THREE SMALL JADE ANIMAL PLAQUES
LATE SHANG-EARLY WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY,
12TH-10TH CENTURY BC
One is a thin, pale greyish-white recumbent bird with hooked
beak, circular eyes and notched tail with beveled edge. The
second is a thin yellowish-white and brown crouching tiger
with trapezoidal eyes, C-scroll ear and tiny holes drilled through
the mouth and curled tail. The third is a dark greyish-green
crouching deer with backward-turned head, and a small hole
drilled from both sides through the fore foot.
1æ, 2Ω and 1Ω in. (4.3, 6.2 and 3.9 cm.) wide
(3)
$2,000-3,000
PROVENANCE
The Erwin Harris Collection, Miami, Florida, by 1995.
商晚期/西周早期 玉動物形珮三件
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