A RARE CELADON JADE EAGLE-FORM HAIRPIN, JI POSSIBLY SHANG DYNASTY

carved in the form of a perching eagle with its wings folded, pierced to the mid-section with a small aperture, the stone of a greenish-celadon colour with some russet colouration

The hairpin is in good condition with just expected insignificant nibbling to the edges and pitting to the stone. The catalogue illustration is slightly warmer than the actual colour of the stone.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Carved from celadon jade of glossy quality, part of which is suffused with brown colour. Cylindrical in form, it is depicted with an eagle's head at the top, with facial features rendered in low relief and wings depicted in concise and straightforward raised relief; one side of the belly is pierced with a hole, and the tail end of the hairpin is furled tight. These type of eagle-form hairpins are usually associated with the Neolithic Shijiahe culture and are of a longer and more slender form, measuring approximately 10 cm in length. See an example preserved in the Hubei Jingzhou Provincial Museum, published in Xiaojia wuji [Xiaojia wuji], Beijing, 1999, vol. 2, col. pl. 14:1. However, their making extends later into the Shang and even Han eras, with the length becoming shorter and the carving closer to the present example. Compare for example a jade hairpin unearthed at the Shang grave site at Fengtang Village, Huaiyang, in Henan and another from the Han tomb at Yetun, Lujiang, Anhui Province, illustrated in Gu Fang, Zhongguo chutu yuqi quanji [The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China], vol. 5, Beijing, 2005, p. 112, and vol. 6, p. 149.