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Dragon 3

Bottle horned dragon in circular shape 
  • Pale green, translucent jade with extensive calcified deposits, pitting and erosion.
  • The carving has a flange on the bottom with two small holes - presumably for mounting.
  • Surface decoration is provided by fine thread relief: hooks, lines, square spirals, and a beast face on each side.
  • Dragon's mouth is open, balancing the opening in the curved tail. 
  • 6.38 x 4.71 x .81 cm 
 
In Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, pp. 24-25, d'Argence describes a similar dragon disk with flange. He annotates it as a 'finial' with "two attachment holes indicating that the finial may have served as a standard or staff top." Apparently the Brundage jade was acquired from the Sonnenshein collection, as it was earlier published in Carved Jades of Ancient China, A. Salmony, 1938, plate XXI. Salmony annotated the jade as a "handle, Early Western Chou period...This handle or terminal is dominated by a kuei. The circular form is unusual. The motif is quite archaic, preserving the spiral jaw and the row of cowries on the back."
 
The present jade has different decoration (no cowries, ie small shields,) but the same overall form and size. The Brundage jade is smooth and perfectly translucent; this one is occluded with surface rust and calcification. They both leave the impression of fine, detailed work.
 
 
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