Page 12 - 2020 Nov 30 Christie's Hong Kong Scholars Art Of China

fig. 3 Illustration of a Warring States jade bi disc with dragon flange in fig. 4 Illustration of a Han jade horse head in Guyu tulu chuji (First
Guyu tulu chuji (First Compilation of Archaic Jades) by Compilation of Archaic Jades) by Huang Jun (1878-1951, a.k.a Zunguzhai)
Huang Jun (1878-1951, a.k.a Zunguzhai) 圖四 「尊古齋」舊藏＜漢代玉馬首＞於《古玉圖錄初集》中之著錄
圖三 「尊古齋」舊藏＜戰國鏤空出廓璧＞於《古玉圖錄初集》中之著錄

returned. In 1986, the museum attached to the Academia clear details, therefore considered a bible for archaic jade
opened and the materials from tomb 1001, alongside other collecting. All these predecessors have one thing in common
excavations were meticulously preserved and put on public – they helped form many of the astonishing collections
display providing ample opportunities for both private of ancient Chinese art in the west and they were truly
individuals and institutions to study and appreciate these inspirational for me.
ancient artifacts.
From 1988 – 1995, I visited many important museums while
In 1986, I met Tiu-Yin Cheung (b. 1914), renowned antique attending auctions in Europe and America. For example, I
connoisseur and one of the founders of Union Films, in visited Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City in December
Hong Kong. He gave me a copy of Chinese Archaic Jades, 1990, and saw in person the famous archaic jade bi disc with
catalogue published by the renowned international antique dragon flange (fig. 3) from the Warring States period, as well
dealer C. T. Loo (1880-1957) in 1950, and this was the as other pieces from the Zunguzhai Collection. I returned
th
catalyst for my quest for knowledge in archaic jades (fig. to Taipei in January 1991, and on the 17 of January, an
2). Subsequently, I was able to acquire many archaic jade unforgettable day, the US initiated ‘Operation Desert Storm’.
catalogues by J. T. Tai (1911-1992), one of the ‘Four Giants’ On the same day, the Chang Foundation Museum opened
th
of the Shanghai antique trade, as well as four volumes of its doors. On the 12 of June in the same year, I was invited
the Guyu tulu chuji (First Compilation of Archaic Jades) by to the opening of The T. T. Tsui Gallery in the Victoria &
Huang Jun (1878-1951, a.k.a Zunguzhai), a famous antique Albert Museum, sponsored by the Hong Kong collector T.
trader in Liulichang, Beijing. The latter publication has its T. Tsui, with Prince Charles as the headline guest. It is then
title inscribed by Rong Geng (1894-1983) and a foreword I saw the Han Dynasty jade horse head (fig. 4), which was
by Fu Zengxiang (1872-1949), and features hundreds of also once in the Zunguzhai Collection.
archaic jade examples from the Three Dynasties all the way
to Qin and Han periods, all are very rare examples. The This horse head probably belonged to a large horse.
illustrations were done using a combination of photography Even though the body is now lost, its valiant spirit is
or rubbing and produced by collotype printing with very still awe-inspring. Other museums I visited included the

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