More than just a green ornamental mineral, jade has its special place in Chinese culture. Throughout Chinese history, jade has long been considered as a symbol of a nobleman. Comparable with the importance of gold and diamonds in the West, jade was used for finest objects made for high-ranking members of the imperial family. Among them, archaic jades with historical significance are the most sought-after by collectors and connoisseurs.
Yet, with concern over the authenticity and the proper dating of jades offered in the market, collectors have a strong demand for archaic jades with illustrious provenance. Whenever archaic jades from a renowned collection go up for auction, they spark fierce bidding wars. This autumn, there is a sale at Christie’s Hong Kong that collectors should attention to as it presents the private collection of Chang Wei-Hwa, a Taiwanese antique collector specialising in jades.
Chang Wei-Hwa is a widely acclaimed art dealer and collector among antique lovers and connoisseurs. He was instrumental in helping the formation of Yangdetang Collection, archaic jades from which garnered unprecedented interests when they were presented in two dedicated sales. This time, The Chang Wei-Hwa Collection will be offered in four parts. The inaugural sale this fall covers jade pieces from the Neolithic period, ranging from Xinglongwa, Hongshan to Liangzhu Cultures. Let’s take a look at some highlights from the collection.
Leading the sale is a three-tiered jade cong, Liangzhu Culture, circa 3300-2300 BC, which formerly belonged to Jinhuatang Collection. The Liangzhu culture was the last Neolithic jade culture in the Yangtze River Delta of China. Covered with some light ochre earth encrustations, the vessel has some minor wear on two of the edge with alterations in chicken-bone white colour. The quality of the stone is superb with some bluish crystalline spots and russet speckles. The stone is semi-translucent in a few areas.
Among the many types of jades of the Liangzhu Culture, the jade cong are the most distinctive. Scholars hold different views regarding the purpose and the symbolic meaning of cong. It is still controversial whether cong were used as a ritual vessel or a burial tool.
Liangzhu jade cong have a square outer section and a circular inner hollow. Each corner serves as a vertical axis over which a symmetrical mask motif is carved. The cong are only type of Liangzhu jades with decoration. It is extremely rare to see a three-tiered jade cong of such quality so it is very likely that this cong will be sold for a price far exceeding its estimate between HK$5m-8m. A double-tier cong was sold for HK$21.7m in Bonhams' 2018 spring auction in Hong Kong.
A three-tiered jade cong, Liangzhu Culture, will be offered at Christie's Hong Kong this autumn
A double-tiered jade cong, Liangzhu Culture, sold for HK$21.7m at Bonhams Hong Kong in 2018
Details of the three-tiered jade cong
- The first tier shows a humanoid-deity mask wearing a headdress represented by two horizontal raised ridges each engraved with five or six parallel lines in intaglio. Below the headdress are the facial features of the mask with the double-circles representing the eyes. The outer circles of the eyes are drilled using tubular tools, while the inner circles are incised. The corners of the eyes are incised with additional triangular elements. The slightly projecting wide nose filled with three sets of cloud-scrolls are carved in low-relief.
- The second tier is carved with an animal mask in shallow relief. The double circles drilled by tubular tools. Oval eyelid on the outer edge of each eye. The nose is similarly carved using shallow relief much like that on the humanoid-deity mask.
- The imagery of tier one and tier two merges to form a humanoid-deity and animal combined mask that is essentially a simplified representation of a ‘Liangzhu Shaman’.
- The humanoid-deity mask incised on the third tier is identical to that on the first tier.
Most of the cong from the early Liangzhu Culture have one of the following configurations: single-tier (one humanoid-deity mask), double-tier (one humanoid-deity and animal combined mask), or four-tier (two humanoid-deity and animal combined masks). A three-tiered cong like the present example comprising one humanoid-deity and animal combined mask with an additional humanoid-deity mask are remarkably rare. According to archaeological reports, only four such three-tiered Liangzhu jade cong have been discovered to date.
Jade cong excavated at the Yaoshan Site in Yuhang, Zhejiang
The following star lot, a large jade carving of a ‘pig-dragon’, previously in the Yangdetang collection. ‘Pig-dragon’ is an iconic type of jade from the Hongshan Culture (4700-2900BC). Hongshan sites have been found in an area around the regions of northeastern China, today’s Mongolia and Liaoning Province. The jade carving of a ‘pig-dragon’ could fetch between HK$3m-5m.
The jade is carved as a coiled stylised mythical animal with incised circular eyes below pricked ears, and pierced with a circular aperture to the centre between a slit and a smaller aperture for suspension. The stone is of a green tone with extensive areas of white alterations. Some scholars believe that the ‘pig-dragon’ jade was a creation combing the mythical and religious beliefs from the period. The synthesis of pig and dragon reflects the wish for fertility since the Hongshan Culture was a society largely dependent on agriculture. Dragons, which were believed to be the deity that brings rain to the earth, perfectly complement the production of livestock, represented by pigs.
A jade carving of a ‘pig-dragon’ was sold at Christie’s New York this March for US$2.295m, more than 460 times its low estimate of US$5,000.
A large jade carving of a ‘pig-dragon’, Hongshan Culture, circa 4000-3000 BC will be offered at Christie’s Hong Kong this autumn
A jade carving of a ‘pig-dragon’ that sold for US$2.295m at Christie’s New York this spring
Another notable lot is a celadon jade toothed animal mask ornament that formerly belonged to Lantien Shanfang Collection. Also came from Hongshan culture, the stone is carved and pierced in the form of an animal mask. It is decorated with arched brows, and circular eyes. It is estimated to fetch HK$300,000-500,000.
At Christie’s Hong Kong autumn sale in 2017, a green jade toothed animal mask ornament from the late Hongshan Culture was hammered down at HK$9m (US$1.15m), 30 times its pre-sale estimate of HK$300,000-500,000, and sold for HK$10.9m (US$1.44m) with buyer’s premium. The present one to be offered at the upcoming sale is of similar size but the 2017 one is larger and of a more greenish tone.
A celadon jade toothed animal mask ornament, Hongshan Culture, will be offered at Christie’s Hong Kong this autumn
A green jade toothed animal mask ornament from the late Hongshan Culture was sold for HK$10.9m at Christie’s Hong Kong autumn sale in 2017
Last but not least, we would like to introduce a yellow jade carving of a head from Shijiahe Culture, circa 2500-2000 BC. The Shijiahe culture was a late Neolithic culture centered on the middle Yangtze River region in Shijiahe Town, Hubei Province, China. The tubular carving is carved on the exterior with a face complete with human facial features including a wide flat nose, downturned mouth, and pierced ears.
Carvings of human faces form an important category among jades from the Shijiahe Culture, but are more often represented on flat rectangular surfaces. Tubular carvings with human faces are significantly rarer. This jade carving, formerly in the Lantien Shanfang Collection, is estimated at HK$600,000-800,000.
Highlights from The Chang Wei-Hwa Collection of Archaic Jades
An Extremely Rare Three-Tiered Jade Cong
Liangzhu Culture, Circa 3300-2300 BC
Lot no.: 2719
Height: 7.8 cm
Provenance: Jinhuatang Collection, acquired in Hong Kong in 1997
Estimate: HK$5,000,000 - 8,000,000
A Jade Four-Tiered Cong
Liangzhu Culture, Circa 3300-2300 BC
Lot no.: 2720
Height: 11.4 cm
Provenance: Lantien Shanfang Collection, acquired in Hong Kong in 1992
Estimate: HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
A Celadon Jade Toothed Animal Mask Ornament
Hongshan Culture, Circa 4000-3000 BC
Lot no.: 2709
Width: 12.6 cm
Provenance: Lantien Shanfang Collection, acquired in Taipei in 1989
Estimate: HK$300,000 - 500,000
A Yellow Jade Carving of a Head S
hijiahe Culture, Circa 2500-2000 BC
Lot no.: 2752
Height: 3 cm
Provenance: Lantien Shanfang Collection, acquired in Taipei in 1998
Estimate: HK$600,000 - 800,000
A Very Rare Jade Bangle
Liangzhu Culture, Circa 3300-2200 BC
Lot no.: 2724
Diameter: 9.6 cm
Provenance: Lantien Shanfang Collection, acquired in Hong Kong in 1993
Estimate: HK$1,200,000 - 1,800,000
A Jade Four-Tiered Cong
Liangzhu Culture, Circa 3300-2300 BC
Lot no.: 2720
Height: 11.4 cm
Provenance: Lantien Shanfang Collection, acquired in Hong Kong in 1992
Estimate: HK$300,000 - 500,000
A Jade Carving of a Bird-Shaped Pendant
Hongshan Culture, Circa 4000-3000 BC
Lot no.: 2704
Length: 4.6 cm
Provenance: Lantien Shanfang Collection, acquired in Taipei in 1989
Estimate: HK$260,000 - 400,000
Auction details
Auction house: Christie’s Hong Kong
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Sale: The Chang Wei-Hwa Collection of Archaic Jades, Part I - Neolithic Period
Lots offered: 58
Preview:
22-23 November 2019 | 10am-7pm
24-26 November 2019 | 10am-6pm
Sale date:
27 November 2019｜10:30am