A PALE CELADON JADE ‘DRAGON AND PHOENIX’ ORNAMENT, WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY
China, c. 1100-771 BC. Of slightly tapering shape, carved on both sides with a phoenix perched on top of a coiling dragon, the contours and details rendered with double-line grooves. The translucent stone is of a pale celadon tone with patches of a cream-white tone and dark veins.


Provenance:
From the collection of David Taylor, and thence by descent within the Taylor family. David Taylor (1876-1958) was a notable British businessman who lived in Belfast and owned various commercial buildings along with a substantial portfolio of stocks and shares. During his travels to China in the early 20th century, he acquired many jades, including the present lot. His grandfather, Sir David Taylor, was born in 1815 in Perth, Scotland, and moved to Belfast in 1842, serving as its Mayor in 1867 and for two consecutive terms in 1883 and 1884.

Condition:
Fine overall condition, commensurate with age. Few tiny nicks, distinct signs of weathering and erosion, with the surface showing a silky matte surface as a result of long-time burial. The stone with natural fissures. Microscopic remnants of ancient pigment.

Weight: 34.3 g
Dimensions: Length 9.6 cm


The present ornament
displays an elegant combination of two zoomorphic elements, depicting a phoenix perched on top of a coiling dragon, the contours rendered in double-line grooves, a style characteristic of the Western Zhou period.


Literature comparison:

A similar example depicting the same motif but of slightly different shape, is in the National Palace Museum Collection (acquisition no. gouyu 611), illustrated in Art in Quest of Heaven and Truth, Chinese Jades through the Ages, Taipei, 2012, pl. 5-4-6. Another example depicting similar motifs was excavated in Rujiazhuang, its line drawing illustrated in Teng Shu-p’ing, Collectors’ Exhibition of Archaic Chinese Jades, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1999, p. 35, pl. 30:5. A rectangular plaque depicting similar motifs is in the Palace Museum Collection, illustrated in Zhongguo yuqi quanji 2- Shang & Western Zhou, Shijiazhuang, 1993, pl. 242.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Near identical
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2017, lot 2743
Price: HKD 2,375,000 or approx.
EUR 307,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A very rare pale celadon jade ‘dragon and phoenix’ ornament, Western Zhou dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the near identical form and decoration. Note the related size (10.5 cm).




西周青白玉龍鳳紋柄形器

中國，公元前1100-771 年。半透明青白玉質，帶有白色絮狀物和深色紋理。器作近梯形的片狀柄形器，厚薄不勻。器之二面均琢龍鳳紋，輪廓與細節以雙線槽呈現。


來源：
David Taylor收藏，自此一直保存在Taylor家族中。David Taylor (1876-1958) 曾是一位著名的英國商人，住在貝爾法斯特，擁有各種商業建築以及大量股票和股份。二十世紀初，他到中國旅行時購買了許多玉器，包括現在的這件。他的祖父戴維·泰勒爵士 1815 年出生於蘇格蘭Perth，1842 年移居Belfast，1867年擔任市長，1883 年和 1884 年連任。

品相：
整體狀況良好，與年齡相稱。有少量微小的刻痕、風化和明顯的侵蝕跡象。由於長期埋在地下，表面啞光，非常光滑。具有天然紋理的玉料，古時顏色殘餘。

重量：34.3 克
尺寸：長9.6 厘米


本件柄形器
將兩種獸形元素巧妙結合，鳳凰盤龍，輪廓呈雙線凹槽，具有西周時期的風格特徵。


文獻比較：

比較一件相似的例子，收藏於國立故宮博物院，描繪相同的主題，但形狀略有不同（收購編號：勾玉611），見《敬天極物：院藏玉器菁華展》，台北，2012年，圖版5-4-6。另一件相近的例子，出土於汝家莊，見鄧淑蘋，《羣玉別藏》，國立故宮博物院，台北，1999年，頁 35，圖30:5。一件相似主題的長方形佩，故宮博物院藏，參見《中國玉器全集2-商和西周》，石家莊，1993年，圖版242。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：幾乎相同
拍賣：香港佳士得，2017年11月29日，lot 2743
價格：HKD 2,375,000（相當今日
EUR 307,000
）
描述：西周青白玉龍鳳紋柄形器
專家評論：比較幾乎相同的形式和裝飾。 請注意相關尺寸（10.5 厘米）。