Category Archives: jade ring

戰國龍紋玉瑗, Warring States Jade Ring, L.32 cms, H.19.3 cms

by in 皇宮古玉齋藏玉, Jade Authentication, jade ring, The Palaceantique Collection, Warring States(B.C.403-B.C.221)

《爾雅•釋器》云：肉倍好謂之璧，好倍肉謂之瑗，肉好若一謂之環。《荀子大略》記載有「 問士以璧，召人以瑗，絕人以玦，反絕以環。」玉瑗是一種地位高者召見地位低者的信物。本器青黃色和田玉雕琢，玉龍鼻頭及下顎呈斧形，胸前及背上飾羽翼，前身站立在玉瑗之前，下半身盤在玉瑗內，尾部分叉，腹部飾捲草紋，整體龍身呈現威風凜凜。玉瑗一面為具戰國紋飾風格龍鳳紋淺浮雕，補白處飾游絲陰線抽象虎紋多處虎紋身上飾夌形雷紋，表示虎嘯如雷，虎紋邊緣再飾以網紋，以增強其立體感 ;  另一面則為代表國家社稷的勾連谷紋淺浮雕。本器意味著王者透過玉瑗將社稷重任委以有能力治理國家的文官及保家衛國的武將。全器刀工流暢精美， 有增生晶體及鈣化斑痕等古玉跡象。國立故宮博物院收藏之戰國玉瑗，青玉材質，孔徑3.35公分， 外徑6.4公分，兩面均有飾穀紋，有赭斑與深褐色沁。本器玉質精美，形制獨特雄偉，雕工流暢，紋飾華麗婉約，不是戰國王室，就是國之重臣所有，堪稱不可多得的戰國玉瑗重器。

    Er-Ya. Explaining Utensils: “A round plate whose edge is bigger than the hole is called a ring.”  In Xunzi  Abstract: “ To ask advice from a scholar, you present him a jade bi. To call a person, you give him a jade ring.”  In Chinese jade culture, a jade ring is an object of evidence between the superior and the subordinate.

Carved with green-yellow tone hetian jade, this object is skillfully designed with a standing dragon coupling a jade ring of which one side is carved with a low relief dragon and phoenix at the bottom side on the front. On the top side and the dragon’s body, the abstract form of a tiger with thin incised lines, a diamond shape net motif located inside the abstract tiger to imply the thunder sound from the tiger’s growling. The crop motif implying the country is carved on the other side of the jade ring.  The motifs carved with the Warring States style have shown extraordinary elegance. Antiquity evidence includes dissolved pits, additive crystals, and calcification. With the special design of this jade ring, this item must be owned by royal members or high-ranking officials of the states in the period of Warring States. It is inevitably an item for connoisseurs collectors.


Webp.net-gifmaker - 2020-07-14T163102.151

Webp.net-gifmaker - 2020-07-14T163750.160Appraisal Indexes:

  1. quality of jade: 10
  2. rareness: 10
  3. historical and cultural significance: 9
  4. workmanship: 10
  5. size:9
  6. condition: 10

 

戰國白玉龍紋銘文玉瑗,直徑6.2cm

by in 皇宮古玉齋藏玉, Jade Appreciation, Jade Authentication, jade ring, The Palaceantique Collection, Warring States(B.C.403-B.C.221)

159605056142028410本器白玉雕琢, 形制為玉瑗, 紋飾雙面對稱, 每一面琢左右方向相反二龍, 龍首前端飾直角下彎尖刀表示無堅不破, 龍眼呈兩端尖銳形, 身體以抽象形式表示, 中央及後端各有一爪, 全器線條以減地陽紋為之, 紋飾之部置具神祕感, 有商周餘韻. 玉瑗壁面琢陰線金文體”皇出令宦用作公富”, 可能是一種歷史文獻, 記載戰國時期, 對財產或土地作為公家使用之訓令. 本器材質為上等和田白玉, 古玉跡象為擴散暈沁色, 增生晶體及螞蟻腳, 部分玻璃光明顯.本器與另一琢有”侯又子壬十宗令天重其年”之玉瑗可能有關(見另文). 

 

 

 

Warring States Jade Ring-1, D. 6.2cm. Made of the top quality Hetian mutton white jade, this ring has two sets of dragon motifs with a carving style of reduction surface low relief lines of the genre of the  Shang Dynasty appear on both sides. Inscriptions( 皇出令宦用作公富) of  The King issued the order to have the property for public use of bronze writing style are seen on the wall of the ring. Archaic evidence of differential weathering, diffusive markings,  and exposed crystals are apparent. With mastery workmanship and scripts recording the historical event, this jade ring is an important artifact as well as jade artwork.

圖騰及刀工相似的商代玉璧, 玉瑗與玉琮Shang Dynasty Jade Bi, Ring & Cong of Similar Motif and Carving Style

by in Jade Authentication, jade ring, Shang Dynasty (1766 BC-1122 BC), The Palaceantique Collection

Webp.net-gifmaker (45)

 

頭部或首是動物身體上最重要的部位, 動物的識別往往從頭部確定, 因此, 中國古玉器經常以龍鳳等頭部為主要圖騰或紋飾, 也就不足為奇了. 本文的玉琮與玉瑗, 便是飾神面(牛首狀), 鳳鳥及龍的頭部, 淺浮雕刀法, 二者的形象十分雷同, 同樣具戰國風格. Heads which are the most important part of animals are thus unique to identify the animal itself. In ancient Chinese jades, the heads of the dragon and phoenix are usually the common motifs. The motifs of the jade cong and jade ring here are an example. The shapes and carving styles are similar and all carry the genre of Warring States.Webp.net-gifmaker (46)

商代璧,  Jade Bi, D.12cm本器白玉雕琢, 形制為三層玉璧, 最內層為三羊角所形成之三叉體, 其內涵為三羊開泰. 第二層及最外層為戰國特色之神面, 龍鳳, 如意紋淺浮雕. 古玉跡象主要為鈣化層. Carved with white jade, the object is a jade bi consisting of three layers. At the center is a structure of three heads of goats with the heads overlapped and the horns separate to signify the meaning of a prosperous scene created by three suns( in Chinese: 三羊開泰). The two outer layers are decorated with low-relief motifs of God’s face, dragon, and phoenix. With mastery workmanship, the bi is well carved with antiquity evidence of calcification. The Warring States of similar motifs and carving style is shown here to compare.

商代玉瑗, D.15cm, T.2cm, 920grams. 本器灰白玉雕琢, 玉瑗雙面對稱, 表面呈中央凸起, 紋飾區分為四等分, 飾神面, 龍, 鳳, 如意雲紋淺浮雕,刀工流暢剛勁有力, 古玉跡象為擴散暈沁色, 冰裂紋. Carved with grey-white tone jade, this ring is symmetrical for both sides in terms of contour and motifs which are divided into four sections. Low relief carvings of God’s face, dragon, phoenix, and auspicious clouds are integrated into each section. With mastery workmanship, this ring has antiquity evidence of cleaving veins and diffusive markings.

商代鳳首神面紋玉琮, 鳳首及神面均以如意雲紋構成, 線條婉約優雅, 分佈均勻, 疏密得宜.本玉琮系由頂級的羊脂白玉琢成, 白色的寶石光芒四射.Carved with white fine quality jade, this jade cong has low relief of God’s face, phoenix head, and auspicious cloud. Master workmanship carving is shown.

Proverb: Opportunity seldom knocks twice at any man’s door (English).

For any questions, please write to Prof. Chen( palaceantique@gmail.com).