AN EXTREMELY RARE HONGSHAN-TYPE 'BEAR HEADDRESS' JADE HUMANOID FIGURE PROBABLY NEOLITHIC PERIOD |

the head of the figure resembling a bear with raised paws, doubling as a headdress of standard form with two vertical extensions, the jade of pale celadon colour with russet veins  

As visible in the catalogue photo, the right paw slightly chipped. Minute nibbling to the fragile extremities and minor expected natural weathering and inclusions in 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."

Jade seated figures such as the present lot are extremely rare, but there are a few examples which have been preserved in museums and private collections for decades. They include a closely related jade humanoid figure in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, no. 0.55-1961, illustrated in Angus Forsyth, 'Five Chinese Jade Figures. A Study of the Development of Sculptural Form in Hongshan Neolithic Jade Working', Orientations, May 1990, pp. 54-63, fig. 7, together with another figure in the Cleveland Museum of Art, no. 53.628, fig. 8, and three other examples, figs 6, 9 and 10.