A MOTTLED ARCHAIC JADE BLADE SHANG DYNASTY

of trapezoidal form, carved with a slightly curved upper edge tapering towards the cutting edge, the perpendicular edges similarly worked with one end tapering towards the longer end, the bevelled edge subtly worked with faint 'V'-shaped depressions, pierced with two apertures towards both ends of the blade, one in the centre, another near the upper edge, the smoothly polished stone of an attractive greyish-green colour mottled with brown and black inclusions, stand

Collection of A.W. Bahr.
Collection of Arthur M. Sackler.
Christie's New York, 1st December 1994, lot 88.
Christie's New York, 20th September 2002, lot 214.

S.C. Nott, Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages, New York, 1937, pl. XIV:A.

It is rare to find a neolithic jade blade of this type, that has been recarved at a later date. It is likely to have been reworked in the late Shang dynasty, modifying the blade slightly from one shape to another, in particular from dao-blade to gui-blade and sometimes vice versa. The reworking of this blade is identified by the different location of the perforated holes, both of which are drilled from one side only. This reworking suggests a date to a post-Erlitou and early Shang context.

Another archaic jade blade with similar stone colour from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Bull, was included in the exhibition, Arts of the Chou Dynasty, Stanford University Museum, February 21-March 28 1958, no. 18.

Comparable blades of similar stone have been published; one in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Bull, included in the exhibition, Arts of the Chou Dynasty, Stanford University Museum, February 21-March 28 1958, no. 18. Another in the collection of Mrs. Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, was included in the O.C.S. exhibition, Chinese Jade throughout the ages, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1 May-22 June 1975, no. 27.