1.Han Dynasty twelve zodiac signs bi set, overall diameter: 66cms, thick 1.2cms, weight:8.8kgs

本器和田白玉雕琢, 形制為組璧, 單面雕琢. 中央為小型璧, 飾仙女騎龍淺浮雕, 仙女頭戴圭形冠, 手持寶瓶為十二生肖(鼠, 牛, 虎, 兔, 龍, 蛇, 馬, 羊, 猴, 雞, 狗, 豬)祈福. 中國的十二生肖起源,眾說紛紜。《史記》中黃帝「建造甲子以命歲」以及「大撓作甲子」中的「甲子」,就是指十二生肖。郭沫若在其著作《甲骨文字研究·釋支干》中主張十二生肖是漢代仿造巴比倫十二宮制定的。璧的四周飾十二片圭形鏤空雕琢玉片,  每一件玉片飾一生肖, 生肖背上或飾舞女, 或飾武士, 其組合如下: 鼠配舞女, 牛配舞女, 虎配舞女, 兔配舞女, 龍配武士, 蛇配舞女, 馬配舞女, 羊配舞女, 猴配武士, 雞配武士, 狗配舞女, 豬配武士. 本器雕琢不論是人物或動物, 均栩栩如生, 紋飾內的線條婉約細膩. 本器古玉跡象為差異風化, 增生晶體, 擴散暈沁色及鈣化等.This object is carved  on one side from Hetian white jade, in the form of a set of bi and gui. The center is a small bi, decorated with a low -relief carving of a fairy wearing gui shape crown, and holding a powerful artifact on hand to convey blessing to the twelve zodiac signs (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon) , snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig) . Chinese zodiac signs (In “Historical Records”, the Yellow Emperor “builds Jiazi to make his life” and “Jiazi” in “Dashou Zuojiazi”  refers to the twelve zodiac signs. Guo Moruo argued in his book “Research on Oracle Bone Writing · Shi Zhigan” that the twelve zodiac signs were made in the Han Dynasty imitating the Babylonian zodiac. Each jade piece is decorated with a zodiac, and the  with a dancer or a warrior. The combination is as follows: Rat with dancer, Ox with dancer, Tiger with dancer, Rabbit with dancer, Dragon with warrior, Snake with dancer, Horse with dancer Dancing girl, goat with dancing girl, monkey with warrior, chicken with warrior, dog with dancing girl, pig with warrior. The carving of this vessel is vivid, whether it is characters or animals, and the lines in the decoration are graceful and delicate. The signs of ancient jade on this object are differential weathering, additive crystals, diffusive markings and calcifications, etc.