Beschreibung:

Lot details China, circa 3300-2200 BC. The thick-walled cong with rounded sides and a cylindrical interior, each corner with a stylized human and animal mask design. The eyes and noses as well as the raised bands above the human mask and recesses in between are finely incised with line and scroll designs. The faces are divided with a gently recessed vertical band to the center of each side. The semi-translucent stone of a creamy white color with light gray areas and few russet inclusions. Provenance: U.S. collection. The authentication of this piece was conducted by Senior Fellow Gu Fang of the Institute of Archeology Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) on 25 September 2020, number 73660-14489, described as ‘Jade tube (cong)’, dated to the Liangzhu culture (3200-2300 BC), signed by Gu Fang, and notarized by Notary Noreen J. Lowery, New York. Gu Fang, born 1962 in Beijing, graduated from the Department of Archeology of the prestigious Beijing University in 1986. He later studied at the CASS where he is now working as a Senior Fellow specializing in Archeological excavations and research on Chinese Jades. Gu Fang authored several books on Chinese jades including 15 volumes on ‘The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China’, one of the largest collections of Chinese jades to date. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with expected ancient wear, signs of weathering and erosion, soil encrustations, smoothened losses to edges, tiny nicks, small chips, and few natural fissures. External Expert Authentication: A copy of the authentication report from Senior Fellow Gu Fang of the Institute of Archeology Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) accompanies this lot and will be transmitted to the winning bidder. Weight: 3121.9 g Dimensions: Diameter 7.8 cm, Height 5.2 cm Literature comparison: Compare a similar jade cong, Liangzhu culture, also with two registers of stylized human and animal masks excavated in 1984 from Fuquanshan in Qingpu County, Shanghai, now in the Shanghai Administrative Committee of Culture Heritage, illustrated in Liangzhu wenhua yuqi, Hong Kong, 1989, p.17, pl.19. See another related example of a jade cong, included in the Min Chiu Society Thirtieth Anniversary Exhibition: Selected Treasures of Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 1990, no. 195. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 29 May 2018, lot 4 Price: HKD 21,700,000 or approx. EUR 2,873,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A very rare archaic jade ritual vessel, cong, Neolithic Period, Liangzhu Culture Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, mask design, color of the jade, and size (8.4 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2019, lot 2719 Price: HKD 31,325,000 or approx. EUR 4,049,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An extremely rare three-tiered jade cong, Liangzhu culture, circa 3300-2300 BC Expert remark: Compare the related form, mask design, and color of the jade. Note the height (7.8 cm).