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Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C.-20th century A.D.. Group of genuine flint scrapers accompanied by modern axe and spearhead types. 516 grams total, 3-21.5 cm (1 1/8 - 8 1/2 in.). Ex London, UK, collection, 1970s onwards. [8, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 5th-3rd millennium B.C. Including barbed and tanged arrowheads, crescent scrapers and other items. 10.4 grams total, 16-39 mm (5/8 - 1 1/2 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [10, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C. With narrow conical butt and asymmetrical curved edge. Cf. MacGregor, A. (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 5.6, for type. 343 grams, 16.6 cm (6 1/2 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 8th-5th millennium B.C. Comprising nineteen knapped tools and one polished implement. See Greenwell, David, F., Artefacts of North Africa, privately published, 2005, for much information. 405 grams total, 3.2-13.4 cm (1 1/4 - 5 1/4 in.). UK gallery, early 2000s.In the Neolithic the continuing predominance of flint artefacts did not stop the evolution of the society. The neolithic people were different in radical way from their predecessors. Farming rather than hunting was now the basis of the human existence, creating slowly but inesorably a more sedentary way of life in villages of timber-houses. Consequently the artefacts created by the men of Neolithic were tool instruments, like axes used in felling trees to create fields from the natural woodland, and in shaping timber for construction. [20, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 7500-5300 B.C. A large pecked and ground axehead with a curved cutting edge and a narrow rounded butt. 390 grams, 11.2 cm (4 3/8 in.). From a private French collection formed in the 1960s–1970s. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 8th-5th millennium B.C. Comprising mostly bifacial and uniface leaf-shaped flint and chert arrowhead; probably from the Sahara region of North Africa. See Greenwell, David, F., Artefacts of North Africa, privately published, 2005, for much information. 152 grams total, 24-52 mm (1 - 2 in.). UK gallery, early 2000s. [50, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C. Three pecked handaxes each with a rounded butt. Cf. MacGregor, A. (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 5.15, for type. 800 grams, 91 - 13.2 mm (3 1/2 - 5 1/4 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [3, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C. An axehead or chisel with cylindrical body, conical butt and broad straight edge. Cf. MacGregor, A., (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 4.163, for type. 928 grams, 19.4 cm (7 1/2 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 8th-5th millennium B.C. Comprising mostly bifacial and uniface leaf-shaped flint and chert arrowheads; probably from the Sahara region of North Africa. See Greenwell, David, F., Artefacts of North Africa, privately published, 2005, for much information. 140 grams total, 33-56 mm (1 1/4 - 2 1/4 in.). UK gallery, early 2000s.Between the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods, some of the most useful human inventions were perfected, including the bow and arrow. The feathered arrow for hunting birds was invented. Most arrows used during hunting were tipped with flint or obsidian, although some had blunt wooden tips to stun birds without injuring them. The bows were made of ash and the strings were made of animal sinews. [50, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C. Biconvex in profile with some cortex remaining to both faces. Cf. MacGregor, A. (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 1.18, for type. 225 grams, 90 mm (3 1/2 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 4th-3rd millennium B.C. Group of four trapezoidal axeheads, each with a gently curved cutting edge. 224 grams total, 39-70 mm (1 1/2 - 2 3/4 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [4, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C. Comprising: three irregular spherical hammer-stones; cylindrical hammer with flat striking face. Cf. MacGregor, A., (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 6.23. 1.18 kg total, 60-74 mm (2 3/8 - 2 7/8 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.fore 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [4, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C. With cylindrical body and flat butt, broad curved cutting edge. Cf. similar item in the collection of the British Museum under accession no.WG.1541. 232 grams, 12.3 cm (4 3/4 in.). From a very old English collection based on the cabinet patination.From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C.-20th century A.D.. Mixed group including some ancient scrapers and modern copies of axes and spearheads. 636 grams total, 2.5-26 cm (1 - 10 1/4 in.). Ex London, UK, collection, 1970s onwards. [7, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 8000-3000 B.C. Triangular in section with broad cutting edge, old collector's label 'Hache Taillée / Roche Gréseuse / L14cm. Néolithique / Calvados / 8000 à 3000 AJC / Homo Sapiens Sapiens' Cf. MacGregor, A. (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 4.4, for type. 297 grams, 13.5 cm (5 1/4 in.). Found Calvados, France. [No Reserve]

Mesolithic to Neolithic Period, circa 8th-2nd millennium B.C. Group of gouges and handaxes including a 'livre de beurre' core. Cf. MacGregor, A. (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 5.33. 668 grams, 10.8 - 18 cm (4 1/4 - 7 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [4, No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 7500-5300 B.C. With rounded butt and slightly curving cutting edge. 190 grams, 90 mm (3 1/2 in.). From a private French collection formed in the 1960s–1970s. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, 3rd-2nd millennium B.C. or later. Dressed stone panel with incised image of a horned animal in profile; mounted on a custom-made stand. 15.15 kg, 34.5 cm (13 1/2 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [No Reserve]

9th-11th century A.D. or earlier. Gold cup with hoop and suspension loop, aqua glass insert. 0.55 grams, 16 mm (5/8 in.). From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s.This amulet was believed to offer protection against 'Elfshot'. The attack of elves was believed responsible for mysterious suffering in men and livestock: sudden shooting pains localised to a particular area of the body, such as in rheumatism, arthritis or muscle stitches or cramps. Elves were thought to shoot darts or arrows where such pains had no obvious external cause. Belief in elfshot persisted into the 20th century in rural areas, and as proof country folk would sometimes find small arrowheads (the remains of Neolithic or Mesolithic flints, or naturally-occurring spear-shaped stones) that were believed to be the magical weapons that caused the afflictions. Belief in elfshot began in the Pagan Germanic period.

9th-10th century A.D. or earlier. Bell-shaped cup with suspension loop, inset irregular amethyst. 0.73 grams, 15 mm (5/8 in.). From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s.This amulet was believed to offer protection against 'Elfshot'. The attack of elves was believed responsible for mysterious suffering in men and livestock. 'Elfshot' described sudden shooting pains localised to a particular area of the body, such as in rheumatism, arthritis or muscle stitches or cramps. Elves were thought to shoot darts or arrows where such pains had no obvious external cause. Belief in elfshot persisted into the 20th century in rural areas, and as proof country folk would sometimes find small arrowheads (the remains of Neolithic or Mesolithic flints, or naturally-occurring spear-shaped stones) that were believed to be the magical weapons that caused the afflictions. Belief in elfshot began in the Pagan Germanic period.

Neolithic Period, 4th-2nd millennium B.C. Globular body with tubular neck, angled spout and small loop handle to the shoulder; bands of painted geometric decoration to neck and shoulder. 8.35 kg, 41 cm (16 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.Accompanied by a copy of a thermoluminescence analysis report from Oxford Authentication with sample no.C199f28 dated 2 February 1999. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 4th-3rd millennium B.C. Biconvex in section, long and slender with narrow butt. Cf. MacGregor, A. (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 4.1, for type. 147 grams, 14.4 cm (5 3/4 in.). Found whilst fieldwalking in Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.Ex English private collection.From the collection of a South West London, UK, collector. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 4th-3rd millennium B.C. Thin-butted and trapezoidal with remains of cortex. 321 grams, 14.5 cm (5 3/4 in.). Found whilst fieldwalking in Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.Ex English private collection.From the collection of a South West London, UK, collector. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C. With gently curved cutting edge, shallow pointed butt. Cf. MacGregor, A., (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 4.150. 426 grams, 17.8 cm (7 in.). From a very old collection based on the cabinet patination.From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C. In grey-coloured flint, bifacially knapped and polished with convex cutting edge, sturdy tapering profile with rounded sides and narrow butt; old inked collector's reference 'OMT' to edge. 410 grams, 17 cm (6 5/8 in.). Ex J.Shaul collection, 2000s.

Neolithic Period, circa 4th-3rd millennium B.C. Biconvex in section with broad cutting edge, tip of butt absent. Cf. MacGregor, A., (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 4.1, for type. 467 grams, 15.3 cm (6 in.). Found France.Acquired from older collections, 1940s-1960s; and thence by family descent.From the collection of Guy Dubois, Rouen, France.Ex Helios Gallery, Wiltshire, UK.From the collection of a South West London, UK, collector. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 4th-3rd millennium B.C. With cortex to the tip and flaked butt, old inked inscription 'Troussencourt'. 258 grams, 12.5 cm (4 7/8 in.). Found Troussencourt, France.From an old French collection.Ex Norfolk private collection.From the collection of a South West London, UK, collector. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 4th-3rd millennium B.C. Narrow body with broad butt; old collector's label to one side 'Hache Taillée / en silex patine blanche / L.13cm - Neolithique / Somme. 8000 à 3000 AJC / Homo-sapiens-sapiens'. Cf. MacGregor, A. (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 4.4, for type. 147 grams, 12.7 cm (5 in.). Found in the Somme Region, France.From an old French collection.Ex Norfolk private collection.From the collection of a South West London, UK, collector. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 7th-5th millennium B.C. Square in section with broad rounded butt and only slightly narrower tip, polished, some cortex remaining. Cf. Madsen, A.P., Antiquités Préhistoriques du Danemark, Copenhagen, 1872, pl.26, 1. 2.05 kg, 33 cm (13 in.). From the property of Mr O.S., a late Suffolk, UK, gentleman, who acquired at auction from the 1960s.

Late Neolithic Period, circa 2000-1700 B.C. With lentoid-section shank, leaf-shaped blade. Cf. MacGregor, A. (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 4.206. 451 grams, 27 cm (10 5/8 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, 5th-3rd millennium B.C. Square-butted elongated trapezoid, unpolished mottled brown flint, square in section tapering to a curved cutting edge. Cf. MacGregor, A. (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 4.5, for type. 446 grams, 19 cm (7 1/2 in.). Ex J. Shaul collection, 2000s.

Neolithic Period, 5th-3rd millennium B.C. In amber and grey-coloured flint, bifacially knapped with convex cutting edge, slender tapering profile with squared sides and butt; old inked collector's reference 'OMT' to edge. Cf. Madsen, A.P., Antiquités Préhistoriques du Danemark, Copenhagen, 1872, pl.26, 1. 150 grams, 18 cm (7 in.). Ex J. Shaul collection, 2000s.

Neolithic Period, late 3rd-early 2nd millennium B.C. A finely polished boat-shaped axe in dark grey stone, with expanded asymmetric convex cutting edge tapering to a 'hammer' butt, drilled to receive handle. See Glob, P. V., Danske Oldsager II, Yngre Stenalder, Copenhagen, 1952, no.333, for general form and no.486, for an example with collared butt; also for a group of two similar but larger examples see Christie's New York, 4 June 2015, no.72 (US$10,000-15,000). 850 grams, 18 cm (7 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [No Reserve]

Neolithic Period, circa 6th-4th millennium B.C. With curved butt and convex sides, offset mounting hole. Cf. MacGregor, A., (ed.), Antiquities from Europe and the Near East in the Collection of Lord MacAlpine of West Green, Oxford, 1987, item 4.168, for type. 852 grams, 17 cm (6 3/4 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. [No Reserve]

A BLACK POTTERY AMPHORA WITH APPLIED COPPER BOSSES, LIFAN, HAN DYNASTY 漢代黑陶嵌銅泡釘雙耳壺Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, 206 BC-220 AD. Elegantly potted, the lozenge-form mouth rim tapering to form two wide strap handles above the neck with a finely incised band running parallel. The ovoid body with spiral designs. Applied overall with conical copper bosses with beaded decoration.Provenance: French trade.Condition: Good condition with old wear and casting flaws, small nicks here and there, the bosses with malachite-green encrustations, some losses and scratches, all exactly as expected from an authentic piece with this age. Weight: 1,144 g Dimensions: Height 18.2 cm This type of black earthenware amphora was produced from the Warring States period and throughout the Han dynasty. The surface of the vessel has been shaped with tools and then burnished. This process of manufacture gives the jar its attractively rugged, yet carefully detailed and distinctive characteristics. The surface of the body is an amalgamation of complex curves with various convex and concave shapes. As noted by Regina Krahl in Yuegutang, A Collection of Chinese Ceramics in Berlin, 2000, page 55, amphorae of this distinct type are characteristic products of the Western Sichuan province where they were made by non-Chinese peoples. Hence, this type of vessel is known as Lifan, named after the area of Sichuan province in the far west of China, in which such jars have been found.There are obvious stylistic similarities between these Lifan vessels and objects from much earlier periods such as the Neolithic cultures of Machang (c. 3000-2000 BC) and Xindian (c. 1500-1000 BC). Similar black ware food containers with two handles have also been unearthed in Dena County, Yunan, an area that was the home of the southwestern Yi tribe during the Spring and Autumn period.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Galerie Zacke, Vienna, 5 March 2021, lot 138 Price: EUR 56,880 or approx. EUR 67,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A black pottery amphora with applied bronze bosses, Han dynasty Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and decoration. Note the larger size (33 cm). 漢代黑陶嵌銅泡釘雙耳壺中國，西元前206 至西元220年。縮頸，壺口外撇，鼓腹，寬大的雙耳從壺口延伸到腹部。壺上鑲嵌泡釘。 來源：法國古玩交易。 品相：狀況良好，有磨損和鑄造缺陷，大面積小刻痕，泡釘上有藍綠色結殼，還有一些缺損和劃痕。 重量：1,144 克 尺寸：高 18.2 釐米 這種黑陶雙耳壺從戰國到整個漢代都有生產。據推測，這些器皿上的泡釘，是在這個時代的巔峰時期製造的，例如漢朝上半葉。 正如 Regina Krahl 在《悅古堂-柏林中國陶瓷收藏》，2000 年，第 55 頁所指出的，這種獨特類型的雙耳瓶是四川西部省份的特有創作，以中國最西部的四川省地區命名。 這些器皿與更早時期的器物在風格上有明顯的相似之處，例如馬廠（約西元前 3000-2000 年）和新店（約西元前 1500-1000 年）的新石器時代文化，春秋時期西南彝族聚居地雲南德納縣也曾出土過類似的雙柄黑瓷食器。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：非常相近 拍賣：Galerie Zacke，維也納，2021年3月5日，lot 138 價格：EUR 56,880（相當於今日EUR 67,000） 描述：漢代黑陶嵌銅泡釘雙耳壺 專家評論：比較非常相近的外形和裝飾。請注意尺寸較大 (33 厘米)。

A GREEN JADE ‘BIRD’ PENDANT FRAGMENT, WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY 西周鳥形玉珮Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, 1100-1000 BC. The flat stone carved in the form of a stylized bird, each side with grooves forming the wings and tail. The opaque jade of a grayish-green color with areas of white calcification.Provenance: From the collection of Dr. Wou Kiuan. Wou Lien-Pai Museum, coll. no. E.3.21A-H. Dr. Wou Kiuan (1910-1997) was a Chinese diplomat and noted scholar of Chinese art. His father, Wou Lien-Pai (1873-1944), was one the leading political figures of early 20th century China, remembered for his role as speaker and leader of parliament during the turbulent years of the Republican era. Dr. Wou himself embarked on an illustrious career in diplomacy until his retirement in 1952, when he settled in London and devoted the rest of his life to the study of Chinese art. It was no doubt fortuitous that Dr. Wou’s years of collecting coincided with an abundant availability of exceptional Chinese art on the London market. From the mid-1950s to the late 1960s he was able to form a collection of well over 1,000 works that together represented virtually every category of Chinese art. At the heart of Dr. Wou’s drive to collect was a burning desire to preserve the relics of China’s rich historical past scattered across Europe, and to promote Chinese art and culture. It is unclear when Dr. Wou conceived of the idea to create a place to house his collection, but in 1968 he opened the doors to the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, named in honor of his father. Over the years the Museum became a ‘must see’ destination for collectors, academics, and visiting dignitaries, and Dr. Wou would delight in leading his visitors through the galleries, recounting stories of China’s glorious history. Condition: Condition commensurate with age. Old wear, weathering and erosion, nibbling, some chips and losses. The stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks over time.Weight: 7.2 g Dimensions: Length 7.6 cmExpert's note (added 20.2.2023): Jades such as the present lot can be dated to as early as the Shang Dynasty. It has been theorized that they were once made as adornments and supports for elaborate lacquer vessels imitating the designs of ritual bronzes (see image section). None of these complete vessels have ever been found. This original intended use eventually fell out of fashion with the repurposing of these archaic examples for bodily adornment. See Qian Yang's thesis: The Circulation of Jades in Early China (Late Neolithic – Eastern Zhou, ca. 4500 -221 B.C.). Literature comparison: Compare a closely related jade plaque, described as a fish, Western Zhou dynasty, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 24.51.7. Compare a closely related jade plaque of a bird, in the British Museum, accession number 1947,0712.465, and illustrated in J. Rawson, Chinese Jades from the Neolithic to the Qing, British Museum, 1995, p. 227, fig. 1, where she notes that during the Western Zhou dynasty, the tail became more horizontal and looks more like a ‘fish’ tail, such is the case for the present lot.Auction result comparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 26 May 2021, lot 127Price: HKD 56,700 or approx. EUR 6,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A celadon jade ‘bird’ pendant, Western Zhou dynastyExpert remark: Compare the related form and grooves. Note the much smaller size (5.3 cm).

A SPINACH-GREEN JADE AXE BLADE, FU, NEOLITHIC PERIOD 新石器時代菠菜綠玉斧Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, 3000-2000 BC. Of flattened trapezium form with rounded edges and two circular hafting holes drilled from both sides. Dark-green opaque stone with areas of dark cloudy inclusions and russet flecks, reminiscent of a misty mountain landscape.Provenance: Shore Galleries, Chicago, Illinois, 1959, lot 357. An old private collection in New England, USA, acquired from the above. A copy of a page from a typewritten auction catalog for the Shore Galleries auction where the present lot was sold in 1959, with the catalog entry for the present lot describing it as an ‘Archaic green jade axe head’, as well as a copy of handwritten collector’s notes for the present lot, ‘Not sure if jade but in a special lined box etc. An old burial piece – Probably Han’, accompany this lot. The box has an old label, inscribed ‘Stone axe from Han dynasty’.Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Minor losses, signs of weathering and erosion, small nicks, minor chips, encrustations.Weight: 414.2 gDimensions: Length 15.5 cm, width 13.5 cm, aperture 1.4 cm (each) With a padded silk storage box. (2)Knife- and axe-shaped blades made from stone were probably working tools in Neolithic societies. Jade is hard but brittle, so the blades made from this beautiful material are unlikely to have been put to practical use. Instead, they would have been held by chieftains as symbols of authority. Large quantities of jade blades have been excavated in different regions in China, indicating their widespread use over a span of more than 3,000 years.Literature comparison:Compare closely related jade axes dated to the Neolithic period, from the collection of Max Loehr, sold at Sotheby’s Paris, 15 December 2016, lots 55 and 65. Compare a related jade axe, also dated to the Neolithic period, dated 6000-3000 BC, 10 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number 1937,0416.15. Compare a related jade axe, also dated to the Neolithic period, c. 2500 BC, 15.5 cm long, in the British Museum, registration number 1937,0416.108.Auction comparison:Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams London, 7 June 2021, lot 422 Price: GBP 20,250 or approx. EUR 29,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A rare archaic spinach-green jade axe blade, Ge, Neolithic PeriodExpert remark: Note the length (18 cm). 新石器時代菠菜綠玉斧中國，西元前3000-2000年。扁平的梯形器，上端有二孔，可縛紮執柄，下端有刃。深綠色不透明玉石，帶有深色雲狀內沁和黃褐色斑點的區域，讓人想起霧濛濛的高山景觀。 來源：伊利諾斯芝加哥Shore Galleries藝廊，1959年，lot 357；美國新英格蘭州私人舊藏，購於上述藝廊。隨附一份藝廊列印拍賣目錄副本，顯示此拍品於1959年出售，並説明“玉斧頭”，以及一份藏家手書“Not sure if jade but in a special lined box etc. An old burial piece – Probably Han“。盒子上有個舊標籤，上寫”Stone axe from Han dynasty“。 品相：狀況良好，輕微缺損、風化和侵蝕跡象、小刻痕、小磕損、結殼。 重量：414.2 克 尺寸：長 15.5 厘米，寬 13.5 厘米，孔1.4 厘米 內襯絲質包裝盒。 (2) 由石刀和石斧可能是新石器時代的工具。玉石堅硬而脆，因此玉刀玉斧不可能投入日常使用。它們象徵著權威。中國不同地區出土了大量玉斧，其廣泛使用已有3000多年的歷史。文獻比較: 比較非常相近的新石器時代玉斧，來自Max Loehr收藏，售於巴黎蘇富比，2016年12月15日，lots 55和65。比較一件相近的西元前6000至3000年新石器時代玉斧，高10 厘米，收藏於大英博物館，館藏編號1937,0416.15。比較一件相近的約西元前2500年新石器時代玉斧，長15.5 厘米，收藏於大英博物館，館藏編號1937,0416.108。 拍賣結果比較: 形制：非常相近 拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2021年6月7日，lot 422 價格：GBP 20,250（相當於今日EUR 29,000） 描述：新石器時代玉戈 專家評論：請注意長 (18 厘米)。

AN AWL-SHAPED ‘CHICKEN BONE’ JADE PENDANT, LIANGZHU CULTURE 良渚文化雞骨白管狀玉佩Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, circa 3300-2200 BC. Of slender tubular form, with a conical end and pierced at the top for suspension, two incised grooves along the body. The opaque stone of a fine creamy color with distinct russet shadings.Provenance: From a private collector in England who has been collecting Chinese jades for over 20 years. Condition: Very good condition with minor old wear, the stone with a small fissure. Good polish with an unctuous feel overall, from centuries of handling.Weight: 15.2 g Dimensions: Length 7.4 cmLiterature comparison:Compare a related awl-shaped jade pendant, exhibited in J.J. Lally & Co. Oriental Art, Ancient Chinese Jade, 15-29 March 2018, no. 48. An awl-shaped pendant of larger size carved with big eye masks in shallow relief, unearthed in 1982 at Fuquanshan, Qingpu, Jiangsu province, is illustrated in Liangzhu wenhua yuqi (Liangzhu Culture Jades), Hong Kong, 1989, p. 112, no. 145. Compare with a group of nine awl-shaoed ornaments, dated to the Liangzhu culture, excavated from Tomb no. 20 at Fanshan, , and illustrated in The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China, vol. 8, p. 92.Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 30 May 2017, lot 6 Price: HKD 87,500 or approx. EUR 11,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A jade awl-shaped ornament, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture Expert remark: Note the closely related size (7.6 cm)良渚文化雞骨白管狀玉佩中國，公元前3300-2200 年。細長管狀，末端圓錐形，頂部有孔用於懸掛，兩道切槽。不透明玉料，呈細膩的奶油色，帶有明顯的赤褐色陰影。 來源：英國私人收藏，收藏中國玉器已超過二十年歷史。 品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損，石頭有小裂縫。抛光細膩，整體瑩潤。 重量：15.2 克 尺寸：長7.4 厘米 文獻比較： 比較一件相近的新石器時代良渚神面紋錐形玉飾，展覽於 J.J. Lally & Co. Oriental Art，《Ancient Chinese Jade》，2018年3月15-29日，編號48。另一件尺寸較大的良渚神面紋錐形玉飾，1982年出土於江蘇省青埔福泉山遺址，見《良渚文化玉器》，香港，1989年，頁112，編號145。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：相近 拍賣：香港邦瀚斯，2017年5月30日，lot 6 價格：HKD 87,500（相當於今日EUR 11,500） 描述：新石器時代良渚文化錐形玉器 專家評論：請注意非常相近的尺寸(7.6 厘米)。

A PAIR OF JADE BEAD ORNAMENTS WITH GODHEAD MASKS, SHENREN, LIANGZHU CULTURE 良渚文化一對神人獸面玉珠Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, circa 3300-2200 BC. The tubular beads are carved in a cylindrical form, tapered and rounded on the top and flat at the bottom, with two boldly incised masks, each with raised features, including teardrop-shaped eyes joined by a wide bridge above a bar-shaped mouth and a broad channel drilled from both ends. The opaque stone is covered entirely with calcified alteration, lustrous and ivory-white in color. (2)Provenance: Collection of Harry Geoffrey Beasley and thence by descent to his widow Irene Beasley. Collection of Alfred William Cowperthwaite, acquired from the above c. 1939 and thence by descent in the same family. Harry Geoffrey Beasley (1881-1939) was a British anthropologist and museum curator who developed an important ethnographic collection during the early 20th century that is now held in various British museums. With his wife Irene, Beasley set up the Cranmore Ethnographical Museum which eventually held more than 6,000 objects of ethnographical interest. The Beasleys collected objects from across Europe, buying from auction houses and local museums to expand the collection, which contained material from the Pacific, Asia, Africa, and Northwestern America. Beasley wrote numerous articles for anthropological journals and was considered an expert in his field. He died in 1939 and his collection was stored with the British Museum collections during the war, which was fortunate, as the Cranmore Museum was destroyed by bombing. After the war, substantial portions of the collection were passed to the British Museum, the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the University of Cambridge, the Pitt Rivers Museum, and the Merseyside County Museum. Other pieces, such as the present lot, were sold by his widow and, after her death in 1974, by their daughters. Alfred William Cowperthwaite (1890-1964) was a contributor to the Cranmore Museum and became good friends with Harry Beasley. Shortly after Harry Beasley’s death, he acquired a number of objects from Irene Beasley, including the present lot. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with expected ancient wear, minuscule chips, some smoothened over time. The stone with calcifications, weathering and natural fissures, some of which have developed into small hairline cracks over time.Weight: 4 g each Dimensions: 1.7 cm and 1.6 cm During the Neolithic period, especially within Hongshan, Liangzhu, and Longshan cultures, a large number of jade ornaments were buried with the elite. Beads like the one in this lot were worn along with headgear, knee decorations, elaborate necklaces, and other body ornaments all made primarily from jade. Dr. Elizabeth Childs-Johnson dubs these cultures a part of the ‘Jade Age,’ a period during which an abundance of jade objects accompanied the elite burials for the first time. The imagery on these adornments was highly standardized, and the most prominent image, which appears on this lot, is that of the godhead (also called a spirit person, shenren, or an anthropomorphized deity).Literature comparison:Compare a related jade bead from the Liangzhu culture, 2.6 cm high, dated to the Neolithic period, in the British Museum, registration number 2022,3034.64.Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Bonhams New York, 21 March 2022, lot 237 Price: USD 62,812 or approx. EUR 62,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Liangzhu jade bead ornament with carved masks, Neolithic period Expert remark: Note the similar style of carving and the calcified jade. Note the size (2.8 cm).

A RARE AND FINE WHITE JADE ‘FIVE BATS’ (WUFU) WEIGHT, 18TH CENTURY 十八世紀五福白玉鎮Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China. Finely carved to one side with a cluster of three bats and to the other with two nuzzling bats, each well detailed with neatly incised spread wings, round eyes, funnel shaped ears, and subtle fur markings. The translucent stone of a fine white tone with icy inclusions and scattered specks. Note that this weight may also serve as a brush rest.Provenance: English trade.Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and minuscule nibbling. The stone with natural inclusions and fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks. Weight: 176.9 gDimensions: Length 9.2 cm Literature comparison:Compare a related bat group illustrated in René-Yvon Lefebvre d’Argencé, Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, San Francisco, 1977, pl. XLVIII. Compare a related bat cluster published in Robert P. Youngman, The Youngman Collection: Chinese Jades From Neolithic to Qing, Chicago, 2008, pl. 195.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely relatedAuction: Sotheby’s London, 10 May 2017, lot 94Price: GBP 67,500 or approx. EUR 109,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A white jade ‘wufu’ brushrest, Qing dynasty, 18th centuryExpert remark: Compare the closely related form and wufu motif.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2014, lot 101Price: HKD 162,500 or approx. EUR 23,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A white and russet jade carving of five bats, Qing dynasty, 18th centuryExpert remark: Compare the closely related form and wufu motif. Note the smaller size (6.6 cm). 十八世紀五福白玉鎮中國。一面淺浮雕三隻蝙蝠，另一面浮雕著兩只蝙蝠。蝙蝠展開翅膀、圓眼睛、漏斗形耳朵和外皮細節。半透明的玉石呈細膩的白色，帶有絮狀內沁和分散的斑點。 來源：英國古玩交易。 品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損和輕微磕損，玉料有天然的内沁和裂隙，其中一些可能發展成細小裂紋。 重量：176.9 克 尺寸：長 9.2 厘米 文獻比較： 比較一件相近的白玉蝠佩，見René-Yvon Lefebvre d’Argencé，《Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection》，舊金山，1977年，圖XLVIII。比較一件相近的 白玉蝠佩，見Robert P. Youngman，《The Youngman Collection: Chinese Jades From Neolithic to Qing》，芝加哥，2008年，圖195。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：非常相近 拍賣：倫敦蘇富比，2017年5月10日，lot 94 價格：GBP 67,500（相當於今日EUR 109,000） 描述：清十八世紀白玉五蝠筆擱 專家評論：比較非常相近的外形和五蝠主題。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：非常相近 拍賣：香港佳士得，2014年10月7日，lot 101 價格：HKD 162,500（相當於今日EUR 23,000） 描述：十八世紀清代白玉留皮五蝠佩 專家評論：比較非常相近的外形和五蝠主題。請注意尺寸較小(6.6厘米)。

A JADE ‘SILKWORM’ PENDANT, LATE NEOLITHIC PERIOD TO SHANG DYNASTY 新石器時代末期至商代玉蠶佩飾Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, c. 1300 BC or earlier. The pendant pierced vertically and carved in the form of a silkworm, incised at one end with its head, detailed with large rounded eyes and slightly open mouth, the body with stylized ‘comma-scrolls’. The translucent stone is of a pale celadon tone with few dark inclusions and patches of opaque creamy-white calcification.Provenance: Collection of Harry Geoffrey Beasley (1881-1939) and thence by descent to his widow Irene Beasley. Collection of Alfred William Cowperthwaite (1890-1964), acquired from the above c. 1939 and thence by descent in the same family. Harry Geoffrey Beasley (1881-1939) was a British anthropologist and museum curator who developed an important ethnographic collection during the early 20th century that is now held in various British museums. With his wife Irene, Beasley set up the Cranmore Ethnographical Museum which eventually held more than 6,000 objects of ethnographical interest. The Beasleys collected objects from across Europe, buying from auction houses and local museums to expand the collection, which contained material from the Pacific, Asia, Africa, and Northwestern America. Beasley wrote numerous articles for anthropological journals and was considered an expert in his field. He died in 1939 and his collection was stored with the British Museum collections during the war, which was fortunate, as the Cranmore Museum was destroyed by bombing. After the war, substantial portions of the collection were passed to the British Museum, the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the University of Cambridge, the Pitt Rivers Museum, and the Merseyside County Museum. Other pieces, such as the present lot, were sold by his widow and, after her death in 1974, by their daughters. Alfred William Cowperthwaite (1890-1964) was a contributor to the Cranmore Museum and became good friends with Harry Beasley. Shortly after Harry Beasley’s death, he acquired a number of objects from Irene Beasley, including the present lot. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, minor nibbling, small chips, some of which have smoothened over time, signs of weathering and erosion. The stone with natural fissures, some of which have developed into small hairline cracks over time.Weight: 5.4 g Dimensions: Length 4.5 cmLiterature comparison: Compare a related jade pendant in the shape of a silkworm, dated ca. 10th century BC, 4.8 cm long, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 2006.398. Compare a related jade ornament in the form of a silkworm, 7.8 cm long, in the Harvard Art Museums, object number 1943.50.314.Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2017, lot 2702 Price: HKD 1,375,000 or approx. EUR 182,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A pair of jade silkworm-form pendants, late Hongshan culture, circa 3500-3000 BC Expert remark: This pair of jade silkworm pendants is likely earlier and a prototype for the present lot, which is more stylized with its ‘comma-scroll’ decoration. Note that this lot comprises a pair. Note the size (4.4 cm). 新石器時代末期至商代玉蠶佩飾中國，約公元前 1300年或更早。吊墜垂直穿孔，雕刻成蠶的形狀，一端蠶頭有圓圓的大眼睛和微張的嘴巴，身體上刻有勾雲紋。玉料呈淺青色，半透明，輕微深色內沁和不透明的白色鈣化斑塊。 來源：Harry Geoffrey Beasley (1881-1939)收藏，他逝世後由其遺孀Irene Beasley保存；Alfred William Cowperthwaite (1890-1964)，約於1939年購於上述收藏，之後在同一家族保存至今。Harry Geoffrey Beasley (1881-1939) 是一位英國人類學家和博物館館長，他在二十世紀初建立了一個重要的民族志收藏，現在收藏在英國的各個博物館中。Beasley和他的妻子Irene一起建立了Cranmore民族志博物館，該博物館最終收藏了 6,000 多件民族志方面的物品。Beasley 收集了來自歐洲各地的物品，從拍賣行和當地博物館購買以擴大收藏範圍，其中包含來自太平洋、亞洲、非洲和美國西北部的資料。Beasley為人類學期刊撰寫了大量文章，被公認爲是該領域的專家。他於 1939 年去世，他的藏品幸虧在戰爭期間被存放在大英博物館裏，而Cranmore博物館被轟炸摧毀。戰後，大部分藏品被轉移到大英博物館、愛丁堡皇家博物館、劍橋大學考古與人類學博物館、Pitt Rivers博物館和Merseyside County博物館。其他收藏，例如現在的拍品，由他的遺孀出售，在她 1974 年去世後，由他們的女兒出售。Alfred William Cowperthwaite (1890-1964) 曾是Cranmore 民族志博物館重要支持人，也曾是 Harry Beasley的好友。在Harry Beasley去世不久，他從Irene Beasley 處購買了一些收藏，包括此件拍品。 品相：條件好，與年齡相稱。磨損、輕微的嗑損、小碎片，其中一些隨著時間的推移已經變得光滑，有風化和侵蝕的跡象。具有天然裂隙的石頭，隨著時間的推移，其中一些已經發展成細小的髮絲狀裂紋。 重量：5.4 克 尺寸：長 4.5 厘米 文獻比較： 比較一件相近的約公元十世紀玉蠶佩飾，長4.8 厘米，收藏於大都會藝術博物館，收藏編號2006.398。比較一件相近的玉蠶佩飾，長7.8 厘米，收藏於哈佛藝術博物館，館藏編號 1943.50.314。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：相近 拍賣：香港佳士得，2017年11月29日，lot 2702 價格：HKD 1,375,000（相當於今日EUR 182,000） 描述：約公元前3500-3000 年紅山文化晚期玉蠶 專家評論：這對玉蠶吊墜年代較早，也是本拍品的較早的原型，其“逗號捲軸”紋飾更具風格化。請注意此為一對和尺寸(4.4厘米)。

A WHITE AND YELLOW JADE AX, FU, NEOLITHIC PERIOD 新石器時代玉斧Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, c. 3rd millennium. The quite thick yet translucent blade is elegantly shaped and of rectangular form, flaring slightly toward the sharp beveled edge, pierced from the front side with a hafting hole. The jade is of a fine white tone with yellow and russet shadings as well as cloudy inclusions, that look like lambent flames when held against the sunlight (see detail image).Provenance: Galerie Beer, Brussels, 20 June 1951 (according to an ancient family ledger inspected by Cabinet Portier, Paris, France, during their appraisal of the complete de Strycker estate; this ledger remains in the possession of the de Strycker family and may not be copied). Collection of Robert and Isabelle de Strycker, acquired from the above and thence by descent in the same family. Robert de Strycker (1903-1968) was a French engineer who specialized in metallurgy. He was a Stanford graduate, a professor at the University of Leuven, a director of the Institute of Metallurgy at the Université Catholique de Louvain, and one of the most influential members of the faculty of applied sciences. After World War II, he made large contributions to France’s post-war recovery. Robert and his wife Isabelle (1915-2010) first encountered Chinese art at the British Museum during a stay in London in the 1930s. Enamored with the style and beauty, they both decided to study and collect Chinese works of art. In 1938 they eventually began to build their collection, buying from Belgian, Parisian, and English dealers. They kept close contact with the famous English collector Sir Harry Garner (1891-1977) and noted Czech collector and expert Fritz Low-Beer (1906-1976).Condition: Good condition with wear, minor signs of weathering and erosions, minor chips and losses to the edges. The stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks. Good ancient polish with an unctuous feel overall.Weight: 108.1 gDimensions: Length 9.2 cm Literature comparison: Compare a related brown jade ax, 16.3 cm long, dated c. 3300-2250 BC, in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number F1916.498. Compare a related green jade ax, 15.5 cm long, dated to the Neolithic period, in the British Museum, registration number 1937,0416.16. Compare a related gray jade ax, 13.3 cm long, dated between 3000-2500 BC, in the British Museum, registration number 1991,0223.2.Auction result comparison: Type: RelatedAuction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2019, lot 2740Price: HKD 437,500 or approx. EUR 55,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A jade axe, Longshan culture, circa 2500-2000 BCExpert remark: Note the larger size (13.9 cm). 新石器時代玉斧中國，西元前三千年。此斧白玉質，局部帶沁，為略呈扁平的梯形器，頂部截平，鑽有一孔，可縛紮執柄，下端為刃，兩面斜削呈弧凸形，周身光素無紋。整件玉質滋潤柔和，光澤細膩，手藝精良。來源：布魯塞爾Beer藝廊，1951年6月20日 (根據法國巴黎Portier內閣在評估整個de Strycker莊園時的一份家族老帳本； 該帳本仍由 de Strycker 家族所有，不得複製)。Robert與Isabelle de Strycker收藏，購於上述藝廊，在同一家族保存至今。Robert de Strycker (1903-1968) 是一位法國冶金工程師。他畢業於史丹佛大學，曾是魯汶大學教授，同時也是魯汶天主教大學冶金研究所所長，是應用科學學院最有影響力的成員之一。二戰後，他為法國的戰後復興做出了巨大貢獻。Robert與他的妻子Isabelle （1915-2010）於 上世紀三十年代在大英博物館首次接觸到中國藝術。因爲其風格和美感所吸引，他們決定研究和收藏中國藝術品。1938 年，他們開始建立自己的收藏，從比利時、巴黎和英國經銷商處購買。他們與英國著名收藏家Harry Garner爵士（1891-1977）和捷克著名收藏家兼專家Fritz Low-Beer (1906-1976）保持著密切聯繫。 品相：狀況良好，有磨損、輕微風化和侵蝕跡象、邊緣有輕微磕損和缺口。玉料上有天然裂縫，有的可能發展成細小裂縫。整體細膩盈潤。 重量：108.1 克 尺寸：長 9.2 釐米 文獻比較： 比較一件相近的約西元前3300-2250年玉斧，長16.3 釐米，收藏於史密森學會國立亞洲藝術博物館，館藏編號F1916.498。比較一件相近的新石器時代青玉斧，長15.5 厘米，收藏於大英博物館，館藏編號1937,0416.16。比較一件相近的西元前3000-2500年灰玉斧，長13.3 厘米，收藏於大英博物館，館藏編號1991,0223.2。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：相近 拍賣：香港佳士得，2019年11月27日，lot 2740 價格：HKD 437,500（相當於今日EUR 55,500） 描述：龍山文化玉鉞 專家評論：請注意尺寸較大 (13.9 厘米)。

AN ARCHAIC CEREMONIAL JADE BLADE, YUE, NEOLITHIC PERIOD TO SHANG DYNASTY 新石器時代至商代玉鉞 Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價Published:Henry Trubner and Tsugio Mikami, Ancient Chinese Arts in the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo, 1989, no. 108.Roger Keverne Ltd., Winter Exhibition, London, 2004, no. 86.China, c. 3500-1500 BC. The slender slab tapers toward the back where there is a small hole drilled from one side. One long edge and the cutting edge are beveled, and now slightly worn. A longitudinal rib made by the saw runs along one face. The translucent stone is a deep olive-green tone.Provenance: Idemitsu Museum, Tokyo, Japan, prior to 1989. Roger Keverne, London, United Kingdom, 2004. Private English collection, acquired from the above. The Idemitsu Museum of Arts was opened in 1966 as an exhibition hall for the private collection of Idemitsu Sazo. Idemitsu Sazo (1885-1981) was a Japanese businessman, founder of Idemitsu Kosan, a petroleum company, and an important art collector. He acquired his first work of art at the age of 20, which was a painting of the Chinese monk Putai by Sengai Gibon. In later years, his collection grew, culminating in a large number of Chinese ceramics, paintings, jades, and other works of art. Roger Keverne served as the Chairman of Asian Art in London and as the President of BADA. He began his 50-year career with Spink & Son, rising to head the Asian department by the age of only 28. He left Spink in 1992 to start his own gallery together with Miranda Clarke, his wife and business partner, in Mayfair, London, which eventually closed its doors in June 2020.Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Ancient wear, minor signs of weathering and erosion, tiny nibbles. Minute chips to edges, one at the top has been smoothened probably millennia ago. The jade with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks.Weight: 68.1 g Dimensions: Length 16.7 cm Literature comparison:Compare a related jade blade in The Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, The Panlongcheng Site: Report of Archaeological Excavation from 1963-1994, pl. CXVII, fig. 6. Compare a related jade blade illustrated in Liu and Capon’s book Masks of Mystery: Ancient Chinese Bronzes from Sanxingdui, no. 36, p. 104. Compare a related jade blade excavated by the Institute of Archaeology, CASS, illustrated in Tomb of Lady Hao at Yinxu in Anyang, pl. 20, fig, 1. Compare a closely related jade blade, 19.5 cm long, dated to the Neolithic period, in the collection of the Harvard Art Museums, accession number 1943.50.113, illustrated in Ancient Chinese Jades from the Greenville L. Winthrop Collection in the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, no. 1, pp. 4-5. Compare a related jade blade illustrated ibid., no. 202, pp. 159.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2019, lot 2717 Price: HKD 81,250 or approx. EUR 10,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A dark green jade axe, Neolithic period, circa 3500 BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and color as well as the similar wear. Note the larger size (28.8 cm).Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 19 March 2015, lot 545 Price: USD 16,250 or approx. EUR 19,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A mottled, blackish-green opaque jade axe, late Neolithic period, 3rd-early 2nd millennium BC Expert remark: Compare the related form. Note the darker color and the larger size (23.8 cm).

A MOTTLED JADE CONG, LATE NEOLITHIC TO SHANG DYNASTY 新石器時代末至商代玉琮Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, 2nd-1st millennium BC. With plain sides and narrow collars encircling the central aperture, the completely opaque stone of mottled gray, brown, and buff tones with dark veins.Provenance: Italian trade. Acquired from a private estate in northern Italy.Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, with several smoothened areas to the edges. The stone with natural inclusions and fissures, some of which have developed into larger cracks. Significant wear overall, mostly from centuries of worship within the culture, as well as distinct areas of weathering and erosion.Weight: 582.8 gDimensions: Width 9.3 cm The cong is one of the most enigmatic of all Chinese jade artifacts, used as a ritual utensil during sacrificial and burial ceremonies.Literature comparison: Compare a closely related mottled jade cong, dated to the late Neolithic period, circa 2250-1900 BC, in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number F1917.4.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie’s New York, 16 March 2017, lot 801Price: USD 40,000 or approx. EUR 45,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A grayish-green and buff jade cong, 2nd-1st millennium BCExpert remark: Compare the closely related form and mottled color. Note the size (6.3 cm). 新石器時代末至商代玉琮中國，公元前2000年至1000年。完全不透明的玉琮，内圓外方。玉琮有著斑駁的灰色、棕色和淺黃色色調，帶有深色紋理。 來源：義大利古玩交易，據説購於義大利北部私人收藏。 品相：狀況極好，邊緣有幾個平滑的區域。玉石帶有天然内沁和裂隙，有的已發展成較大的裂紋。整體有明顯的磨損，以及風化和侵蝕區域。 重量：582.8 克 尺寸：寬 9.3 厘米 文獻比較： 比較一件非常相近的約西元前2250-1900年新石器時期末期玉琮，收藏於史密森學會國立藝術博物館，館藏編號F1917.4。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：非常相近 拍賣：紐約佳士得，2017年3月16日，lot 801 價格：USD 40,000（相當於今日EUR 45,500） 描述：公元前二千至一千年玉琮 專家評論：比較非常相近外形和斑駁顏色。請注意尺寸 (6.3厘米)。

AN IMPORTANT AND RARE JADE ‘MASK’ PENDANT, HUANG, LIANGZHU CULTURE 良渚文化罕見神面玉璜Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, circa 3300-2200 BC. Finely decorated to all sides and edges with neatly applied incision work depicting cosmic cloud scrolls, the present Huang has a prominently carved godhead mask located at the center of the front side, just beneath a zoomorphic bird head with a pointed beak at the top. Both wings are pierced with funneled apertures for suspension. The opaque stone is of a brown hue with beige clouding and dark brown inclusions.Provenance: From the Sir Percival David collection, according to an old paper label reading “The Percival Collection, of Chinese Jades” and manually inscribed “Zoomorphic Figure”. Collection of Harry Geoffrey Beasley, probably acquired from the above between 1923 and 1939, and thence by descent to his widow Irene Beasley. Collection of Alfred William Cowperthwaite, acquired from the above c. 1939 and thence by descent in the same family. Sir Percival David (1892-1964) was a Bombay-born British financier who is best known as a scholar and collector of Chinese ceramics, postal stamps, and jades. He became enamored with Chinese art after his visit to China in 1923 and started the Percival David Foundation to promote the research of Chinese art and culture. His collection grew to an astounding 1,700 pieces, which are now on display at the British Museum. Harry Geoffrey Beasley (1881-1939) was a British anthropologist and museum curator who developed an important ethnographic collection during the early 20th century that is now held in various British museums. With his wife Irene, Beasley set up the Cranmore Ethnographical Museum which eventually held more than 6,000 objects of ethnographical interest. The Beasleys collected objects from across Europe, buying from auction houses and local museums to expand the collection, which contained material from the Pacific, Asia, Africa, and Northwestern America. Beasley wrote numerous articles for anthropological journals and was considered an expert in his field. He died in 1939 and his collection was stored with the British Museum collections during the war, which was fortunate as the Cranmore Museum was destroyed by bombing. After the war, substantial portions of the collection were passed to the British Museum, the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the University of Cambridge, the Pitt Rivers Museum, and the Merseyside County Museum. Other pieces, such as the present lot, were sold by his widow and, after her death in 1974, by their daughters. Alfred William Cowperthwaite (1890-1964) was a contributor to the Cranmore Museum and became good friends with Harry Beasley. Shortly after Harry Beasley’s death, he acquired a number of objects from Irene Beasley, including the present lot.Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear and weathering, as expected, with rubbing and abrasion to the fine incision work, and some nicks and chips which have smoothened over time. The stone with natural inclusions and fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks over time. Calcification throughout.Weight: 73.7 g Dimensions: Length 10.3 cm With an associated metal stand. (2)Huang were a part of the elite adornments during the Neolithic period, especially within Hongshan, Liangzhu, and Longshan cultures. These were worn along with headgear, knee decorations, elaborate beaded necklaces, and other body ornaments, all made primarily from jade. Dr. Elizabeth Childs-Johnson dubs these cultures a part of the ‘Jade Age’, a period during which an abundance of jade objects accompanied the elite burials for the first time. The imagery carved on these jade adornments was highly standardized, and the most prominent image, which appears on this lot, is that of the godhead (also called a spirit person, shenren, or an anthropomorphized deity). This image is flat, often covered in cosmic cloud scrolls, and has zoomorphic attributes combining bird and semi-human elements.Literature comparison:Compare a closely related but much smaller jade pendant with godhead incision work, 6.3 cm long, dated to the Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture, in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number S1987.734. Compare also a related jade ornament with a mask godhead, 8.3 cm wide, dated to the Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 18.63.

A SANCAI-GLAZED POTTERY TEA SET, TANG DYNASTY 唐代三彩陶茶具一套Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價China, 618-906. As part of funerary rituals, the seven cups and central jar are fixed to the circular tray having been fired together in the kiln. The glaze stops just above the short base of the tray. The emerald-green and yellow glazes are generously applied overall and are finely crackled.Provenance: From the estate of a notable Hong Kong family, who brought a substantial collection of ceramics, porcelains, and other Chinese works of art with them when they immigrated to Canada in the 1950s. Thence by descent within the family to the last owner.Condition: Good condition commensurate with age, with some firing irregularities and signs of weathering. Soil encrustations typical of objects buried for a prolonged period, chips, glaze drippings, pitting, and glaze recesses. Weight: 1,168 g Dimensions: Diameter 23.4 cm (tray), 6.3 cm (cups), 6.6 cm (jar) Literature comparison:Compare a related sancai-glazed jar, 7.6 cm in diameter, dated to the Tang dynasty, in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University, accession number EAX.1967. Compare a related sancai-glazed jar, 9.2 cm in diameter, dated to the Tang dynasty, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 18.57.5. Compare a closely related tea set with six cups in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Lu Chenglong’s Ceramics Gallery of Palace Museum: The Neolithic Period to Five Dynasties, Beijing, 2021, pl. 158. Compare a similar tea set without a central jar with nine cups, in the Idemitsu Museum of Art, illustrated in The 15th Anniversary Catalogue of the Idemitsu Museum of Art, Tokyo, 1981, no. 616.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong 16 December 2021, lot 5001 Price: HKD 60,480 or approx. EUR 7,300 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A sancai-glazed pottery tea set, Tang dynasty Expert remark: Note the thickly applied glaze. Note the size (22.7 cm tray, 6.6 cm cups, 8.4 cm jar). 唐代三彩陶茶具一套中國，618-906年。作為喪葬儀式的一部分，七個杯子和中間的罐子被固定在圓形托盤上，在窯中一起燒製。釉料停在托盤短底座上方。通體施翠綠、黃釉，釉色細膩開片。 來源：香港一個著名家族的遺產，該家族在二十世紀五十年代移居加拿大時，隨身攜帶了大量陶器、瓷器和其他中國藝術品。從那時起，藏品在同一家族一直傳承到如今的最後一位主人。 品相：狀況良好，有一些燒製不規則和風化跡象，因爲長期埋藏所特有的土壤結殼，碎片、釉滴、凹坑和釉槽。 重量：1,168 克 尺寸：直徑 23.4 厘米 (盤)，6.3 厘米 (杯)，6.6 厘米 (罐) 文獻比較： 比較一件相近的唐代三彩罐，直徑7.6 厘米，牛津大學Ashmolean博物館，館藏編號EAX.1967。比較一件相近的唐代三彩罐，直徑9.2 厘米，收藏於大都會藝術博物館，館藏編號18.57.5。比較一件非常相近的茶具組，收藏於北京故宮博物院，見《Lu Chenglong’s Ceramics Gallery of Palace Museum: The Neolithic Period to Five Dynasties》，北京，2021年，圖158。比較一件相似的茶具組，收藏於 Idemitsu Museum of Art，見《The 15th Anniversary Catalogue of the Idemitsu Museum of Art》，東京，1981年，編號616。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：非常相近 拍賣：香港蘇富比，2021年12月16日， lot 5001 價格：HKD 60,480（相當於今日EUR 7,300） 描述：唐三彩茶器一組七件 專家評論：請注意厚重釉面。請注意尺寸(托盤22.7 厘米，杯6.6 厘米，壺8.4 厘米)。

NEOLITHIC TOOLS IN DESERT GLASS TEKTITE/METEORITE,From the Tenerean Culture, tool was worked circa 5,000 years ago. Fashioned out of ancient glass formed when a meteorite struck the Sahara Desert.

A COLLECTION OF THREE NEOLITHIC AXES, Two possibly British, the other European. London private collection. Largest 20cm L

A NEOLITHIC STYLE MARBLE IDOL,6cm H

A COLLECTION OF FOUR LARGE NEOLITHIC TOOLS OR AXES FROM FRANCE (4) Largest 10cm x 10cm

A VERY LARGE AND FINE NEOLITHIC AXE PROBABLY LANGDALE TUFF, LAKE DISTRICTBritish origin.London private collection.15.5cm x 6.5cm

A NEOLITHIC GREEN JASPER FLAKED ADZE FROM THE AIR MOUNTAINS, NIGER, 12cm x 5cm

A LARGE CHINESE NEOLITHIC MACHANG PAINTED POTTERY JAR. With two wide lug handles at the waist decorated in red and black pigment featuring four circular medallions with crosshatched pattern surrounded by further circular lines. The jar not tested. 40cm tall One shallow chip to the rim. The rim possibly restored.

A LARGE CHINESE NEOLITHIC MACHANG PAINTED POTTERY JAR. Heavily potted with two wide lug handles at the waist decorated in red and black pigment decorated with geometric pattern. Jar untested. 38cm tall. Chip loss to rim with section or repair also at rim.

A selection of six late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age miniature pots, believed to be from a Grave group

A Chinese Neolithic-style incised brown pottery and black-painted beaker20th centuryWith three loop handles, incised with spiralling designs enhanced in black slip, covered overall in greenish-grey soil and traces of roots.19cm high.The Property of a Lady. Purchased in Hong Kong throughout the 1980s and 1990s二十世紀 仿古彩陶盃女士藏品。二十世紀八十至九十年代間購置於香港。Condition Report: Nibbling to mouth rim. 1/3 of rim broken off and re-stuck. Extensive surface residue. One of the handles also broken off and re-stuck. Nibble to foot.

Ca. 2800 - 1700 BC.A Danish Neolithic black hard stone axe head, of the boat-axe type, drilled through the center with a shaft hole, with a blunt end at the back. Size: 144mm x 55mm; Weight: 505g Provenance: Prince collection, 1990s-2014, acquired on the US art market. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.

Ca. 8000-6000 BC.A pair of biconical stone axe heads, each with a central shaft hole designed for attachment to a pole. These implements, typical of the Neolithic period, were essential tools employed for various purposes, including woodworking, construction, and agricultural activities. Size: 110-180mm x 55-70mm; Weight: 1.2kg Provenance: Property of a European collector, acquired in Rungis in 2017; formerly in a French private collection 1980s-1990s.

Paleolithic to Neolithic Period, Ca. 5th - 2nd Millennium BC.A prehistoric flint tool from Paleolithic to Neolithic period. Size: 90mm x 75mm; Weight: 295g Provenance: Prince collection, 1990s-2014; Ex. Private collection 1970s-1990s.

Ca. 3500 - 2000 BC.A Neolithic highly polished axe head in brown stone. The axe is trapezoid in shape with a curved blade and narrow rounded end. The bladed end has been highly polished to a sharp edge, whilst the back appears less refined with light surface irregularities. Size: 120mm x 50mm; Weight: 320g Provenance: Prince collection, 1990s-2014, acquired on the US art market, Malter Galleries, USA.