A WHITE AND YELLOW JADE AX, FU, NEOLITHIC PERIOD
China, c. 3rd millennium. The quite thick yet translucent blade is elegantly shaped and of rectangular form, flaring slightly toward the sharp beveled edge, pierced from the front side with a hafting hole. The jade is of a fine white tone with yellow and russet shadings as well as cloudy inclusions, that look like lambent flames when held against the sunlight (see detail image).


Provenance:
Galerie Beer, Brussels, 20 June 1951 (according to an ancient family ledger inspected by Cabinet Portier, Paris, France, during their appraisal of the complete de Strycker estate; this ledger remains in the possession of the de Strycker family and may not be copied). Collection of Robert and Isabelle de Strycker, acquired from the above and thence by descent in the same family. Robert de Strycker (1903-1968) was a French engineer who specialized in metallurgy. He was a Stanford graduate, a professor at the University of Leuven, a director of the Institute of Metallurgy at the Université Catholique de Louvain, and one of the most influential members of the faculty of applied sciences. After World War II, he made large contributions to France’s post-war recovery. Robert and his wife Isabelle (1915-2010) first encountered Chinese art at the British Museum during a stay in London in the 1930s. Enamored with the style and beauty, they both decided to study and collect Chinese works of art. In 1938 they eventually began to build their collection, buying from Belgian, Parisian, and English dealers. They kept close contact with the famous English collector Sir Harry Garner (1891-1977) and noted Czech collector and expert Fritz Low-Beer (1906-1976).

Condition:
Good condition with wear, minor signs of weathering and erosions, minor chips and losses to the edges. The stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks. Good ancient polish with an unctuous feel overall.

Weight: 108.1 g
Dimensions: Length 9.2 cm


Literature comparison:

Compare a related brown jade ax, 16.3 cm long, dated c. 3300-2250 BC, in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number F1916.498. Compare a related green jade ax, 15.5 cm long, dated to the Neolithic period, in the British Museum, registration number 1937,0416.16. Compare a related gray jade ax, 13.3 cm long, dated between 3000-2500 BC, in the British Museum, registration number 1991,0223.2.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2019, lot 2740
Price: HKD 437,500 or approx.
EUR 55,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A jade axe, Longshan culture, circa 2500-2000 BC
Expert remark: Note the larger size (13.9 cm).




新石器時代玉斧


中國，西元前三千年。此斧白玉質，局部帶沁，為略呈扁平的梯形器，頂部截平，鑽有一孔，可縛紮執柄，下端為刃，兩面斜削呈弧凸形，周身光素無紋。整件玉質滋潤柔和，光澤細膩，手藝精良。


來源：
布魯塞爾Beer藝廊，1951年6月20日 (根據法國巴黎Portier內閣在評估整個de Strycker莊園時的一份家族老帳本； 該帳本仍由 de Strycker 家族所有，不得複製)。Robert與Isabelle de Strycker收藏，購於上述藝廊，在同一家族保存至今。Robert de Strycker (1903-1968) 是一位法國冶金工程師。他畢業於史丹佛大學，曾是魯汶大學教授，同時也是魯汶天主教大學冶金研究所所長，是應用科學學院最有影響力的成員之一。二戰後，他為法國的戰後復興做出了巨大貢獻。Robert與他的妻子Isabelle （1915-2010）於 上世紀三十年代在大英博物館首次接觸到中國藝術。因爲其風格和美感所吸引，他們決定研究和收藏中國藝術品。1938 年，他們開始建立自己的收藏，從比利時、巴黎和英國經銷商處購買。他們與英國著名收藏家Harry Garner爵士（1891-1977）和捷克著名收藏家兼專家Fritz Low-Beer (1906-1976）保持著密切聯繫。

品相：
狀況良好，有磨損、輕微風化和侵蝕跡象、邊緣有輕微磕損和缺口。玉料上有天然裂縫，有的可能發展成細小裂縫。整體細膩盈潤。

重量：108.1 克
尺寸：長 9.2 釐米


文獻比較：

比較一件相近的約西元前3300-2250年玉斧，長16.3 釐米，收藏於史密森學會國立亞洲藝術博物館，館藏編號F1916.498。比較一件相近的新石器時代青玉斧，長15.5 厘米，收藏於大英博物館，館藏編號1937,0416.16。比較一件相近的西元前3000-2500年灰玉斧，長13.3 厘米，收藏於大英博物館，館藏編號1991,0223.2。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2019年11月27日，lot 2740
價格：HKD 437,500（相當於今日
EUR 55,500
）
描述：龍山文化玉鉞
專家評論：請注意尺寸較大 (13.9 厘米)。