A LOT WITH A JADE AXE AND AN IMPERIAL PORPHYRY AXE A LOT WITH A JADE AXE AND AN IMPERIAL PORPHYRY AXE The jade Chinese, possibly Liangzhu culture, c. 2600-2300 BC or later. The porphyry axe probably Italian, 11 th-13 th century. The jade axe of irregular rectangular form with a wide cutting edge, well-carved from a beautiful, translucent celadon stone with delicate, brownish, and milky white inclusions, a large, circular hole is pierced in the top center, the well-polished surface is perfectly smooth. The porphyry axe of flattened drop shape, carved from a mottled brown stone and polished. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Minor losses, small nicks, signs of weathering and erosion. The porphyry stone axe with larger losses and encrustations. Provenance: Estate of Paolo Bertuzzi. Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022) was an engineer and fashion stylist from Bologna, Italy. Born as the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, the founder of Hettabretz, one of the most important leather merchants in Italy which crafted womenswear for royals and celebrities including The Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother’s business and created exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute at Metropolitan Museum of New York. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than 60 years. His collection includes archaic and contemporary art, focusing mainly on Asian ancient pieces. Over decades he developed close relations with galleries, museums, curators, and auction houses while shaping his collection. He edited two important books about Asian art, Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery, about a large-scale archaeological project carried out with the Italian and Indonesian governments, and Majapahit, Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom. Weight: 80 g and 766 g Dimensions: Length 12.5 cm and 25.5 cm

Estimate 400 - 800 EUR

Starting price 400 EUR

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A MOTTLED JADE YUE AXE, DAWENKOU CULTURE, C. 4500-2500 BC A MOTTLED JADE YUE AXE, DAWENKOU CULTURE, C. 4500-2500 BC Published: Filippo Salviati, 4000 Years of Chinese Archaic Jades, 2017, pp. 80-81, no. 87. Of elongated form with tapering side, the axe with a lens-shaped cross section, and a central aperture to the top which has been drilled from both sides. The translucent stone with inclusions of mustard, brown, and dark chocolate, as well as russet veins. Provenance: Private collection of Prof. C. Eberhard Klein, Germany. Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and natural imperfections. Minor erosion and shallow surface wear. Weight: 277.2 g Dimensions: Height 17 cm The Dawenkou culture (c.4500-2500 BC) is one of the early societies that made use of jade during the late Neolithic period and transition to the Bronze Age, with sites mostly distributed in the Shandong province. The jades found in these sites are mostly derived from types developed by the two neighboring and major jade-using cultures, Hongshan in the north and Liangzhu in the south. Particularly favored were jade axes, which are more elongated than the Liangzhu ones, and often chisel shaped, like the present lot. Because jade was so costly, it is unlikely this was a utilitarian tool. Its use was probably more symbolic or ritual. The thin, sharp blade shows no sign of wear. The presence of such jade objects indicates a high level of skill in fine crafts. Due to its hardness, jade cannot be carved with metal blades but must be ground with abrasive sand in a slow, labor-intensive process. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related axe discovered at a Neolithic tomb at Dawenkou, published in Shanghai: Shanghai jiaoyu chubanshe, 1989, pg. 5 of illustrations.

Lot 1714

Estim. 900 - 1 800 EUR

† AN IVORY COLORED JADE AXE, YUE, LIANGZHU CULTURE † AN IVORY COLORED JADE AXE, YUE, LIANGZHU CULTURE China, circa 3300-2200 BC. The broad axe flares towards the curved cutting edge, and the butt end drilled from both sides with a circular aperture. The stone fully calcified and of a warm ivory color with few russet areas. Provenance: U.S. collection. The stand with an inscribed label and two collection numbers ‘20’ and ‘60503 641’. The authentication of this piece was conducted by Senior Fellow Gu Fang of the Institute of Archeology Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) on 16 July 2006, number 641, described as ‘Jade Ax’, dated to the Neolithic period, signed by Gu Fang, and notarized by Notary Noreen J. Lowery, New York. Gu Fang, born 1962 in Beijing, graduated from the Department of Archeology of the prestigious Beijing University in 1986. He later studied at the CASS where he is now working as a Senior Fellow specializing in Archeological excavations and research on Chinese Jades. Gu Fang authored several books on Chinese jades including 15 volumes on ‘The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China’, one of the largest collections of Chinese jades to date. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, obvious losses, signs of weathering and erosion. The stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks over time. The stone with a smooth polish. External Expert Authentication: A copy of the authentication report from Senior Fellow Gu Fang of the Institute of Archeology Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) accompanies this lot and will be transmitted to the winning bidder. Weight: 243.1 g Dimensions: Length 16.2 cm Mounted to a modern metal stand. (2) Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 19 March 2015, lot 488 Price: USD 35,000 or approx. EUR 43,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An opaque ivory-colored jade axe, China, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture, 3rd millennium BC Expert remark: Compare the related form and color. Note the smaller size (12.3 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 19 March 2015, lot 534 Price: USD 22,500 or approx. EUR 27,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An ivory-colored opaque jade axe, southeast China, Neolithic period, 3rd millennium BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and color. Note the smaller size (13 cm). 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.

Lot 1755

Estim. 250 - 500 EUR

AN ARCHAISTIC WHITE JADE AXE-SHAPED ‘CHILONG’ PENDANT, 18TH-19TH CENTURY AN ARCHAISTIC WHITE JADE AXE-SHAPED ‘CHILONG’ PENDANT, 18TH-19TH CENTURY China. Finely carved and pierced as an archaistic axe, one side with a chilong amid neatly incised scroll designs and the other with a mythical bird and similar scroll. There are several pierced apertures which allow for suspension, although a circular aperture in the center toward the top is the most likely candidate. The translucent stone of a white tone with icy inclusions and few faint russet veins. Provenance: From a private collection in the United Kingdom, by repute acquired at Christie’s London on 20 July 2000. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and minuscule nibbling. The stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks. Weight: 30.8 g Dimensions: Length 5 cm Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 30 May 2018, lot 699 Price: HKD 25,000 or approx. EUR 3,300 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A white jade archaistic 'axe' pendant late Qing dynasty Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, motif, manner of carving, and color, as well as the related size (5.8 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 3 October 2018, lot 3306 Price: HKD 81,250 or approx. EUR 10,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An archaistic white jade 'chilong and axe' pendant Qing dynasty, 18th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, motif, manner of carving, color, and size (5 cm).

Lot 1905

Estim. 400 - 800 EUR

A LARGE FAMILLE ROSE ‘WU SHUANG PU’ OCTAGONAL VASE, CHINA, 19TH CENTURY A LARGE FAMILLE ROSE ‘WU SHUANG PU’ OCTAGONAL VASE, CHINA, 19TH CENTURY Of square section with cropped corners, the baluster body supported on a short waisted foot and rising to a slender neck with a flared mouth. The exterior finely painted in bright enamels with heroes and heroines from the Wu Shuang Pu with accompanying inscriptions. Sun Quan, Di Renjie, Fu Sheng, and Wu Zetian are named on their flanking cropped corners, alternating high and low, and an epithet for each written above their emblems, along with excerpts from their stories in the Wu Shuang Pu above and below each figure. Provenance: English trade. Condition: Very good condition with only minor wear and firing irregularities. The rim with a shallow chip. Weight: 3,161 g Dimensions: Height 38.9 cm Wu Shuang Pu ('Table of Peerless Heroes') by Jin Guliang is a book of woodcut prints, first printed in 1694, early on in the Qing dynasty. This book contains the biographies and imagined portraits of 40 notable heroes and heroines from the Han Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, all accompanied by a brief introduction and guided by a related poem in Yuefu style. The illustrations from the book were widely distributed and re-used, often as motifs on Chinese porcelain. Di Renjie (630-700), formally Duke Wenhui of Liang, was a Chinese politician of the Tang and Wu Zhou dynasties, twice serving as chancellor during the reign of Wu Zetian. He was one of the most celebrated officials of Wu Zetian's reign and was thus included in Wu Shuang Pu. He is depicted on this lot wearing polychrome robes with floral medallions. Fu Sheng (268-178 BC) was a Chinese philosopher and writer. He was a Confucian scholar of the Qin and Western Han dynasties of ancient China, famous for saving the Confucian classic Shangshu (‘Book of Documents’) from the book burning of the first Qin emperor. Fu Sheng is recognized as one of the most important Confucians of the Han Dynasty. He is often venerated in Confucian temples along with other sages, and has been a subject of many poems, essays, and paintings. He is depicted on this lot seated on a rock ledge and above him are his emblematic books. Wu Zetian (624-705) was the first and only female emperor in Chinese history. She subsequently founded and ruled the Wu Zhou dynasty of China from 690 to 705. She was the only female sovereign in the history of China widely regarded as legitimate. Under her 40-year reign, China grew larger, becoming one of the great powers of the world, its culture and economy revitalized, and corruption in the court reduced. She was removed from power in a coup and died a few months later. She is depicted on this lot wearing her imperial robes, and above her is Mount Song where her rule was legitimized during the Feng Shan. Sun Ce (175-200) was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was the eldest child of Sun Jian, who had found the Heirloom Seal of the Realm when his forces occupied the evacuated Han imperial capital of Luoyang, in the course of the campaign against Dong Zhuo, and later suffered a violent death during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Upon his father’s death, Sun Ce inherited the seal and gave it to Yuan Shu so that he might lend him troops to take revenge for his uncle, who had been fighting Warlord Lu Kang. The young Sun Quan is depicted on this lot wearing heavy armor with a sheathed sword, holding a large axe, with the Heirloom Seal of the Realm painted above. Expert’s note: The Heirloom Seal of the Realm, also known in English as the Imperial Seal of China, was a Chinese jade seal allegedly carved out of the Heshibi, a sacred piece of jade. The Seal can safely be described as the most important and valuable lost artifact in the world. The Seal was created in 221 BC, shortly after Qin Shi Huang unified China and established the Qin dynasty, China's first imperial dynasty. It then served as the imperial Chinese seal throughout the next millennium of Chinese history, and its possession was seen as a physical symbol of the Mandate of Heaven. The Heirloom Seal was subsequently lost around the end of the Tang dynasty or during the earlier Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Several seals have since been claimed as the lost Heirloom Seal, but none have held up under scrutiny. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Edinburgh, 24 November 2011, lot 432 Price: GBP 3,125 or approx. EUR 6,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A famille rose figural vase, 19 th century Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, decoration, and subject. Note the smaller size (35.5 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 14 September 2019, lot 1511 Price: USD 6,250 or approx. EUR 7,000

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