A JADE BRACELET NEOLITHIC, LIANGZHU CULTURE (C. 3300-2200 BC)

the olive-green and brown stone with white calcification and russet veining, carved in the form of a thick circular bracelet of square section with a slight concave edge

Hei-Chi, Jades from the Hei-Chi Collection, Beijing, 2006, p. 34.

The overall condition is very good with a couple of old nicks along the edges.
"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."

Jade bracelets appear to have originated in the Hongshan culture (5^th-3^rd century BC), after which they became and remained a feature of many Neolithic cultures. This beautifully finished piece belongs to a relatively well-known type of Liangzhu jade and is recognised as a bracelet due to examples found on the arms of the deceased (see Jessica Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1994, p. 148). A related bracelet is illustrated ibid., pl. 6:4; another is published in Teng Shu-P'ing, Neolithic Jades in the Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1992, pl. 49; and a third, from the Zhirouzhai collection, was included in the exhibition Exquisite Jade Carving, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1996, cat. no. 138.