A DEEP CELADON JADE ‘FISH’ PENDANT, LATE SHANG TO WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY
China, 11th-10th century BC. Of flattened form, finely carved as a fish with a curved body and round eyes, the long dorsal fin rising along the spine and two smaller fins extending from the stomach, the mouth with an aperture for suspension. The semi-translucent stone of a deep celadon tone with areas of white calcification and pale russet clouds.


Provenance:
Collection of Robert and Isabelle de Strycker, 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:
Very good condition with expected old wear, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, minuscule nibbling to edges.

Weight: 7.1 g
Dimensions: Length 7.3 cm


Literature comparison:

Compare a related fish-shaped pendant, 10.1 cm long, dated c. 1200-901 BC, in the British Museum, registration number 1937,0416.82. Compare a similar pendant in the form of a fish, 6.2 cm long, dated c. 1300-1050 BC, in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number S1987.473.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 10 September 2019, lot 37
Price: USD 17,500 or approx.
EUR 19,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A calcified jade ‘fish pendant, Shang-Western Zhou dynasty
Expert remark: Note the slight larger size (8.8 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 13 September 2019, lot 823
Price: USD 25,000 or approx.
EUR 27,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A pale yellowish-green, jade fish-form pendant, Western Zhou dynasty
Expert remark: Note the slightly smaller size (6.4 cm).




商末至西周青玉魚形佩

中國，西元前十一至十世紀。玉魚成平直狀，吻部斜伸向前下方、分尾斜向後下方，以陰刻線飾眼、尾、鱗片。略帶半透明的青色石料，帶有青白色斑紋和白色鈣化物。


來源：
Robert與Isabelle de Strycker收藏，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：
狀況極好，有磨損、風化和侵蝕的跡象、結殼、邊緣微小磕損。

重量：7.1 克
尺寸：長 7.3 厘米


文獻比較：

比較一件相近的約西元前1200-901年魚形玉佩，長10.1 厘米，收藏於大英博物館，館藏編號1937,0416.82。比較一件相似的約西元前1300-1050年魚形玉佩，長6.2 厘米，收藏於史密森學會國立亞洲藝術博物館，館藏編號S1987.473。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2019年9月10日，lot 37
價格：USD 17,500（相當於今日
EUR 19,500
）
描述：商至西周玉雕魚形珮
專家評論：請注意尺寸較大 (8.8 厘米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2019年9月13日，lot 823
價格：USD 25,000（相當於今日
EUR 27,500
）
描述：西周 青黃玉魚形珮
專家評論：請注意尺寸較小(6.4 厘米)。