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Lot
Number
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J000088 |
| Lot
Title |
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Pair of Jade Carving Boars |
| Date
of Origin |
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Late West Han |
| Country
of Origin |
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China |
| Material
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Jade |
| Measurements |
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11.8 x 2.6 cm (Both) |
| Lot
Quantity |
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2 |
| Estimate |
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| Description:
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Description (guaranteed):
I was just browsing around and found this antique shop at a very far corner. Several demo pieces of porcelain and jades in the display window appear quite nice and old. I then decided to find out more with this shop. The owner is quite young and very polite, and has good understanding about porcelain and jade. We had very good chat. He showed me several of his collections which really broadened my knowledge. I told him that most of my jade collections are focused on Ming and Qing period, and I have very little knowledge about ancient jade. He told me that actually if you know some keys and information, then ancient jade is even more easier to understand. He took out several other pieces covering Chou, Han, and Hong Shan culture periods for my reference. Really different from what I saw before, and you know right away they are quite old by just looking at them, and immediately want to buy several pieces and put into collections. However, he told me not to hurry and to understand more about ancient jades then make decision. I figured this is right and it will always be yours as long as you have feeling of affinity and fate.
Before leaving his shop, I thought he has so many ancient jades, and perhaps he would also have Han boars which I am looking for long time. I simply asked him if he has any Han boar, and he smiled back and said, come next time and we will see.
Couple weeks later, I visited his shop again and he took out several more of his collections for my reference, and it was really enjoyable. Lastly, he opened a box, and, woo, I saw a pair of boars, and this is really awesome. I thought I would have only been able to see just one piece, but it turned out to be one pair. In the past, my collection or my shop experience was only limited to just one piece, and this time I am so lucky to see a pair and real Han boar, this is really great.
The Owner said this pair of boar should be with West Han period as the boar in East Han had more clear carving of feet. Whole pieces are in sapphire (green) jade, and covered by aged lime type material and secondary mineral, also with different density of black and needlestone shaped actinolite. You know right away it is an old piece at first sight. When holding it, it is very moistened and smooth, the shape and lines of the body are beautiful and elegant.
He also taught me how to judge an ancient jade from its surface changes. The traces of weathering are from inside intruded naturally out which is totally different from marks after acidified. The lime type material is in yellowish brown color. However, if you put under sun light for months, then the color will change to more toward to white (petrified), and only by then you can rub it without damaging the jade. Before that, the best is to only play the open areas which you can see the green portion. The owner slightly brushed the open areas for just a while, and the grayish surface became shiny and smooth right away.
The pair of boars, one in left and one in right, and one has longer nose (may be male). The open areas were just like once covered by hands. In ancient time, people held boar for fortune, and held Xi for power. To me, my zodiac is boar and I just simply want a pair of old jade boar to enrich my collection. The price offered by him is reasonable. So I have no hesitation to put these hard to come by boars into my treasures. Finally, I got a pair of boars to match my zodiac, so great. |
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| Condition
and Additional Specification: |
Condition: Some nature pitting to jade
豬是中國先民由漁獵生活進入農業生活的象徵，而人們必須有相當程度的定居生活，才利於農耕的發展；定居便是「家」的起源。「家」字是由代表房子的「」和代表豬的「豕」兩個符號合併而成的文字。漢代陶器常見養豬的房舍，人居上層，豬欄在下層和主室相連。
豬大概是中國人最早豢養的家畜。古時的中國人除了食用豬來補充自己的營養外，在以物換物的市場法則中，豬也成為貴重的交易物品，所以，豬在農業社會裡，不僅是財富的象徵，也是定居生活的保證。
陶豬常見於史前到宋元時的隨葬器中，商周時雖有玉豬但量甚少，漢以後才增多。最早發現的西漢玉豬，是樂浪石嚴里九號墓所出土的，樂浪是現在的北韓平壤，漢置為郡。陶豬雕刻出來的姿態比較生動，玉豬雕刻一般都比較簡單，只不過把一截橫條玉，以幾根簡單的線條琢出豬頭和腿足，使其有一點像豬而己。玉豬的基本造型，很適合掌握，漢人在喪葬禮中的「握」，便是握豬。財富本來是生不帶來死不帶去的，但「握」豬似乎意含死後可攜用的財產，而包上金箔的玉豬就更顯貴重了。
此外，中國人也相信玉為山川之精英，能保護屍體使之不朽，而玉豬眼象徵財富又保證長久，由此可知，玉豬在使用上深遠的意義。
玉豬如此簡單的雕刻，在當時也閉O為了方便，但從現代藝術或者中國傳統美學的觀點來看，這種似像非像的半抽象造形，在簡單中見生氣，更能表達精妙的人文內涵。 --楚戈 |
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