We found 3059 price guide item(s) matching your search

A Neolithic period terracotta vessel, with flared tubular neck and two loop handles; the upper body painted with geometric motifs, H: 32 cm. Chip to the body approximately D: 3 cm. Not available for in-house P&P Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period vessel, having twin incorporated handles and retaining much of its original polychrome decoration, D: 12 cm, H: 9 cm. Some losses to one handle and a chip to the body. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots) Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Chinese Neolithic period vessel, retaining some of its polychrome decoration with flared neck and base, H: 29 cm. P&P Group 3 (£25+VAT for the first lot and £5+VAT for subsequent lots) Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period vessel, the body tapered with two ring handles, retaining much of its original geometric polychrome design, H: 27 cm. Losses to rim. P&P Group 3 (£25+VAT for the first lot and £5+VAT for subsequent lots) Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period terracotta bowl, having twin ring handles and flared rim, retaining most of its polychrome decoration, D: 18 cm, H: 10 cm. Repaired crack throughout the body, the piece has been in two pieces and re-attached. Some minor losses have been filled with later clay. P&P Group 3 (£25+VAT for the first lot and £5+VAT for subsequent lots) Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period painted terracotta twin handled pot, decorated with geometric designs, repaired crack from rim to base, H: 8 cm, D: 10 cm. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots) Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period terracotta pot, with flared rim and two loop handles; the body and rim interior painted with geometric motifs, D: 16 cm, H: 11 cm. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots) Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period vessel, of baluster form, D: 19 cm, H: 26 cm. Chip to the base and loss of decoration. P&P Group 3 (£25+VAT for the first lot and £5+VAT for subsequent lots) Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period vessel, twin handles and of urn form, with polychrome decoration, D: 12 cm, H: 12 cm. Losses to one handle. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots) Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

Chinese Shang Dynasty Neolithic earthenware pottery tripod vessel (Li), likely lower Xiajiadian culture, ca. 2200-1600 BCE. With a tall body, thick everted and flared rim, and three conical supports.Height: 8 in x diameter: 6 1/2 in.

THREE CHINESE ARCHAIC JADES NEOLITHIC AND LATER Comprising: a bi disc incised on both sides with C-scrolls, the stone is partially calcified with a yellowish-green tone and darker inclusions, a celadon and russet jade huan disc with greyish-white striations, and a jade arc-shaped pendant, huang, partially calcified, the mottled green stone with rows of raised bosses and C-scrolls. Each item with a fitted box. 16.8cm max. (3) Provenance: a private collection, London, purchased from Christie's London,14th November 2003, lot 218.

Collection of 6 Neolithic Arrowheads 5000 to 7000 Years Old from the Sahara North Africa

Knife. Denmark, Neolithic Period, 3900-1700 BC.Stone.Provenance: private collection, Mèzières-lez-Cléry, France. Acquired by inheritance in 2022.In good state of preservation.Measurements: 18 cm (length).This knife has been carved on both sides to achieve a pointed shape and cutting at both ends. It was a prehistoric lithic tool used to cut, scrape and perforate materials and animals.

A Neolithic period terracotta vessel, with flared tubular neck and two loop handles; the upper body painted with geometric motifs, H: 33 cm. Not available for in-house P&PWarrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period painted terracotta twin handled pot, decorated with geometric designs, painted mark to the base, repaired damages throughout, H: 10 cm, D: 9 cm. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period terracotta vessel, having two ring handles and flared neck, the body tapering in baluster form, undecorated, H: 26 cm. Visible restoration and a further loss to rim. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period painted terracotta twin handled pot, decorated with geometric designs, H: 8 cm, D: 10 cm. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Chinese Neolithic period urn, retaining almost all of its polychrome decoration and having two handles, H: 14 cm. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period painted terracotta twin handled pot, decorated with geometric designs, painted mark to the base, H: 8 cm, D: 14 cm. Small chip to the body. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period footed bowl, interior decorated with geometric triangular designs, D: 16 cm, H: 11 cm. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A collection of Neolithic, Han and Tang Dynasty vessels (8), all with faults. Not available for in-house P&PWarrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period terracotta cauldron of diminutive proportions, raised on three supports and retaining some of its polychrome decoration, D: 10 cm, H: 10 cm. P&P Group 3 (£25+VAT for the first lot and £5+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period painted terracotta twin handled pot, decorated with geometric designs, H: 10 cm, D: 9 cm. Loss to rim. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £3+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

An Indus Valley Neolithic period bowl, footed, D: 10 cm, H: 7 cm. Repaired damage to the body. Most of the design remains. P&P Group 3 (£25+VAT for the first lot and £5+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

A Neolithic period vessel, of baluster form, D: 19 cm, H: 26 cm. Chip to the base and loss of decoration. P&P Group 3 (£25+VAT for the first lot and £5+VAT for subsequent lots)Warrington Auction endeavours to accurately describe the items being sold, but all property offered for sale is strictly as-is, where-is, and with all faults. All representations or statements made by Warrington Auction and its representatives, or in the catalogue or publication or report, as to the correctness of description, genuineness, attribution, provenance or period of the lot, are statements of opinion only.

'CHICKEN-BONE' JADE AWL SHAPE PENDANT NEOLITHIC PERIOD, LIANGZHU CULTURE 新石器時代 良渚文化 雞骨白玉錐形飾 the slender rod of oval form, with a conical point at one end and a pierced tab at the opposite end, with two carved parallel lines incised in the middle of the body, the stone of creamy colour with variegated russet and brown inclusionDimensions:7.4cm highProvenance:Provenance: Private collection, England, has been collecting Chinese jades for over 20 yearsNote: Note: Compare to two jade awl shape pendants dated to Liangzhu culture and of similar shape and colour, are both in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, no. Zhong Yu 中玉38 and Go Yu 購玉89.

MOTTLED DARK BROWNISH-GREEN JADE DISC, BI NEOLITHIC PERIOD, LIANGZHU CULTURE 新石器時代 良渚文化 玉璧刻款: 細起花文若有神/撫無留手卻平勻/知其是玉疑非玉/謂此非珍孰是珍/氣合古人餘沕穆/華羞時語詡玢豳/千年遁跡一朝現/巢許寧稱善隱淪/乾隆丙午仲春月御題鈐印: 篆體「比德」、「朗潤」二方形閒章 of conventional form, the thick bi disc with small central aperture drilled from both sides, the inner walls with remains of pronounced cutting ridges, the dark green stone suffused with a network of brown and buff-coloured alteration on one sideDimensions:18.3cm diameterProvenance:Provenance: Formerly in a private French collection

A LARGE NEOLITHIC POTTERY JARProbably Majiayao Yangshao Culture Gansu 2300 - 2000 B.C.Of brown and tan earthenware, the upper part painted in brown with a series of curved swags above a wavy line, the shoulders flanked by a pair of loop handles with dot circle motifs or in square panels with traces of red painting.45.5cm (17 7/8in) highFor further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A NEOLITHIC OVOID POTTERY JARMajiayao Culture, 3rd millennium B.CThe upper part painted in black with a series of curved swags above a wavy line, enclosing trellis pattern roundels within red painted borders, two applied loop handles to the mid-body. 38cm (15in) highFor further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

TWO NEOLITHIC POTTERY JARSMajiayao Culture, 3rd millennium B.CComprising: a compressed globular jar with two loop handles decorated in black and red pigments with geometric patterns to the body and the interior of the mouth; together with a globular jar with short tapering neck and two loop handles, decorated in brown pigments with linear designs, fitted boxes.The largest: 17cm (6 3/4in) wide (4).For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A small Neolithic buffware pottery bowl, Persia, 3rd millenium BC, of deep form, the exterior decorated in red with hatched bands to rim and panels to side, with solid triangles and circles, 9.5cm. diam. x 5cm. highProvenance: Private UK CollectionPlease refer to department for condition report

RARE BIXIE EN JADE VERT PLE ET ROUILLEÉpoque des Six Dynasties (265 -589 ap. J.-C)A VERY RARE PALE GREEN AND RUSSET JADE CARVING OF A BIXIE Six Dynasties (265-589AD)The creature resting on its front paws, the rear right haunch tucked underneath the body and the rear left extended to reach the bifurcated tail, the powerful face carved with wide bulging eyes below a pair of thick curling eyebrows and horns directed back across the head, with part open mouth and beard issuing from the lower jaw, the body delicately incised with scrolling wing motifs and scrolls to the rear haunches, three parallel incised markings to the back to simulate the fur, the softly polished stone of pale whitish hue to the back and creamy russet tone to the body and head, with russet markings to one side of the head and rear haunch. 10.5cm (4 1/8in) long.Footnotes:Provenance:Robert Rousset, Paris (1901-1981), acquired prior to 1935Jean-Pierre Rousset, Paris (1936-2021) Bixie ('auspicious beast') were the female guardians of treasure brought back by male Tianlu who went out into the world in search of gold. the function of these lifelike sculptures made from durable materials was to embody and pacify the elemental and supernatural forces of the living world. Large stone figures of ferocious beasts including lions and tigers, and imaginary winged figures, were all placed on the spirit avenues in tombs of emperors and high ranking officials and military commanders, a tradition that flourished and reached its peak during the Six Dynasties, when immense fabulous beasts drawn from the spiritual world were produced on a grand scale outside the tombs near Nanjing. Simultaneously, an artistic tradition of creating jade animals of the highest quality flourished. In contrast to the majority of earlier two-dimensional jade carvings, made for the afterlife or to adorn the individual, these figural sculptures were created in the round as independent objects, not just as sumptuous display items for the appreciation of the elite, but also to provide the owner with a constant and concrete realisation of the powerful supernatural forces latent in the world around.Jade bixie of the Six Dynasties unlike the earlier ones made during the Han dynasty, appear to display less movement in their carving. Compare a jade fitting in the form of a bixie, Eastern Han dynasty, illustrated by J.Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, p.353, fig.6; and see also another example, Wei/Jin dynasty, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 4 Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Beijing, 2011, no.299. See a related jade carving of a mythical beast, Six Dynasties, illustrated by J.Rawson and J.Ayers, Chinese Jade throughout the Ages, London, 1975, no.186. A further Six Dynasties jade bixie from the collection of Dr and Mrs Cheng Te-k'un, is illustrated by J.Watt, Chinese Jade from Han to Ch'ing, New York, 1980, pl.12.A related beige and russet jade bixie, Han dynasty/Six Dynasties, was sold at Sotheby's New York, 21 September 2021, lot 46.Les bixie (« bêtes auspicieuses ») étaient les gardiennes (femelles) des trésors rapportés par les tianlu (mâles) qui parcouraient le monde à la recherche d'or. La fonction de ces sculptures très vivantes faites dans des matières durables était d'incarner et pacifier les forces fondamentales et surnaturelles du monde vivant. De grandes sculptures en pierre de bêtes féroces, dont des lions, tigres et bêtes ailées imaginaires, étaient placées sur les Voies des Esprits menant aux tombes des empereurs, haut-fonctionnaires et chefs militaires : cette tradition se développa et atteignit son apogée durant l'époque des Six Dynasties, lorsque d'immenses créatures fantastiques venues du monde des esprits furent réalisées à grande échelle à l'extérieur des tombes près de Nankin.Parallèlement se développa une sculpture de grande qualité d'animaux en jade. Contrairement à la majorité des sculptures en jade plus anciennes en deux dimensions, servant d'ornement personnel ou pour l'au-delà, ces sculptures étaient réalisées en ronde-bosse comme objets indépendants, non seulement en tant qu'œuvres d'apparat somptueuses, destinées à être appréciées des élites, mais aussi comme rappel concret et constant à leur propriétaire des puissantes forces surnaturelles latentes dans le monde qui l'entoure.A la différence des bixie plus anciens faits durant la dynastie Han, les bixie en jade des Six Dynasties semblent montrer moins de mouvement dans leur sculpture. Comparer avec un ornement en jade en forme de bixie, dynastie des Han orientaux, illustré dans J. Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, p.353, fig.6 ; voir aussi un autre exemple, dynastie Wei/Jin, illustré dans Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 4 Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Beijing, 2011, no.299. Voir encore une sculpture proche en jade d'une chimère, Six Dynasties, illustrée dans J. Rawson et J. Ayers, Chinese Jade throughout the Ages, London, 1975, no.186. Voir enfin un bixie en jade des Six Dynasties de la collection de Dr et Mrs Cheng Te-k'un, illustré par J.Watt, Chinese Jade from Han to Ch'ing, New York, 1980, pl.12. Un bixie comparable en jade beige et rouille, dynastie Han/Six Dynasties, a été vendu à Sotheby's New York, le 21 septembre 2021, lot 46.六朝 青玉辟邪來源：巴黎Robert Rousset（1901-1981）舊藏，於1935年前入藏巴黎Jean-Pierre Rousset（1936-2021）舊藏「辟邪」是一種有翼瑞獸。學界對此類肩生雙翼的神獸定名略有出入，一說「辟邪」為雌性，鎮守著雄性「天祿」外出尋找黃金所帶回的寶物。帝王將相陵墓神道兩側放置有翼石獸，起到辟邪除兇、保衛墓主人的作用，是秦漢以來流行的做法，在六朝時期蓬勃發展並達到頂峰；時南京附近的陵墓外可見大量大型神獸石像。與此同時，精巧動物、瑞獸玉雕亦隨之蓬勃發展。與較早期作為陪葬品或配飾用常見之玉牌等平面玉雕不同，此類圓雕動物神獸作為獨立個體進行創作，不再僅為身份地位象徵，更為其擁有者提供源源不斷的天地之氣... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A Chinese neolithic terracotta bowl, 8cms high,

* Mauritania. A collection of five Neolithic flint spearheads found in Mauritania, various forms and sizes, largest 80 mm long, smallest 60 mm, presented in a modern display boxQTY: (5)

* Mauritania. A collection of twelve flint Neolithic arrowheads found in Mauritania, various forms and sizes, largest 40 mm, smallest 20 mm, presented in a modern display boxQTY: (12)NOTE:Provenance: Formerly from the Donald Searle collection.

Possibly neolithic polished stone axe head, 18cm Condition ReportSurface scratches, chips to the ends and sides. General wear and tear.

A large Chinese Neolithic period (circa 2nd Millennium BC) Yangshao Culture buff red earthenware jar with painted decoration, height 41cm.Please note: This lot has been thermoluminescence dated by Oxford Authentication and has been confirmed to be period. Certificate accompanies the lot.Provenance: private collection, North Yorkshire. 

Three rare Chinese Neolithic period (circa 2nd Millennium BC) Qijai Culture jugs in the form of owls, height 22.5cm, 21cm and 20cm (3).Provenance: private collection, North Yorkshire. 

A Chinese Neolithic period (circa 2nd Millennium BC) Yangshao Culture buff red earthenware twin handled vessel with painted decoration, height 37cm.Provenance: private collection, North Yorkshire. Additional InformationOne of the lug handles is poorly restored. Possibly some minor repair to the underside of the rim. Age wear rubbing and patina to the surface throughout, and with some chips to the surface. A couple of chips to the rim. Foot rim with a large firing flaw. There is no certificate with this lot. Possibly some restoration to the rim section. 

A Chinese Neolithic period (cIrca 2nd Millennium BC) Yangshao Culture buff red earthenware jar with painted decoration, height 30cm.Provenance: private collection, North Yorkshire. Additional InformationThe rim section is restored. Age wear rubbing and patination throughout. Some scuffs and odd nick but generally fair. No certificate with this lot. 

A large Chinese Neolithic period (circa 2nd Millennium BC) Yangshao Culture buff red earthenware twin handled jar with painted decoration, height 47cm.Provenance: private collection, North Yorkshire. Additional InformationWear and chips around the rim. Numerous scratches, surface flakes and some chips to the body, heavier wear around the base with some chips and surface chair line cracks. 

Two Chinese Neolithic period (circa 2nd Millennium BC) late Yangshao Culture buff red earthenware vessels with painted detail, an early twin handled vase, height 21.5cm, a shallow bowl and a further vessel (5).Provenance: private collection, North Yorkshire. 

A group of three Chinese Neolithic period (circa 2nd Millennium BC) late Yangshao Culture buff red earthenware vessels with painted decoration, height 31cm, 23cm and 22cm.Provenance: private collection, North Yorkshire. 

Two Chinese Neolithic period (circa 2nd Millennium BC) late Yangshao Culture buff red earthenware vessels, with painted detail, height 28cm and 17.5cm.Provenance: private collection, North Yorkshire. 

A Chinese neolithic twin handled jar with painted geometric decoration, height 14cm.Provenance: Private estate, Cheshire.

A Chinese Neolithic terracotta jar; with flattened loop handles, decorated in black with a wide geometric lattice band, 14cm wide [repairs to rim].

Ca. 3000 BC A terracotta painted vase with an out-turned rim, a cylindrical neck, broad, flaring shoulders, conical body, and flat base. One applied lug handle is attached below the shoulder. The neck and shoulder are painted with repeating wave and net designs. This superb example of Chinese Neolithic pottery would make a brilliant statement piece in a modern collection. For a similar see Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., Accession number F1930.96. Size: L:230mm / W:245mm ; 1.2Kg Provenance: Property of a London gallery; formely in High Wycombe Estate collection; formerly acquired on the UK Art market pre 2000.

Ca. 5000-4000 BC A terracotta female fertility idol of a rather curvaceous body, depicted in a seated position with upraised knees. Her right arm cradles and supports her round protruding breasts. Her back is straight, slightly tilted to the back. Tell Halaf is an archaeological site in northeastern Syria, near the Turkish border, with two main settlement periods - the Ceramic Neolithic Period (6th-5th century BC) and the Iron Age (late 2,000- first centuries of the 1st thousand BC). For a similar see The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore - Accession number: 48.2741. Size: L:70mm / W:55mm ; 145g Provenance: Private UK collection; from an old Oxford collection formed in the 1990s.

Framed collection of 13 Berber Tidikelt Neolithic Stone Age Arrow Heads, circa 2000 B.C, frame measures approx 49.5cm x 44.5cm

A Small Collection of Antiquities, including - Paleolithic flint axe head, 5.25ins, Neolithic flint leaf-shaped arrow head, 2.75ins, a Roman bronze swallowtail arrow head, 1.75ins, and fifteen other pieces, various Provenance: From an old collection

A GROUP OF CHINESE STONE CARVINGS AND FIGURES. To include a pair of seated lion dogs, three standing figures, together with a Neolithic style carving. 6.5cm - 9.5cm tall (6) All in good overall general condition with no signs of damage or repair.

A RARE YELLOW AND RUSSET JADE 'HUMANOID FIGURE' PENDANT, HONGSHAN CULTUREChina, Neolithic period, c. 4000-3000 BC. Worked in the form of a double-horned humanoid with the hands resting on the knees, the face detailed with slit eyes and protruding ears, the body with pierced sections between the arms and legs, as well as a horizontally carved suspension hole behind the head. The translucent stone of a yellow to celadon tone with areas of russet skin and few dark specks. Provenance: From the private collection of Professor Filippo Salviati, Rome, Italy. A professor of archeology and art history at the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies at the Sapienza University of Rome, Prof. Salviati has researched and published extensively on Chinese archaic art.Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, few minuscule nicks, the stone with natural fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks over time.Weight: 41.0 g Dimensions: Height 6.1 cmThe Hongshan culture, from which this jade pendant comes, remained unknown until the 1980s. Centered in northeastern China, it is known for large ceremonial structures built with rocks, graves lined with stone slabs, and distinctively shaped jades that were often the sole goods found in tombs. The present lot belongs to a distinct group of three-dimensional humanoid figures, a few of which have been recorded during the 20th century, all from ancient collections assembled well before systematic excavations made the culture more widely known and appreciated.Literature comparison: The present lot is stylistically related to the Hongshan humanoid figures discussed in Angus Forsyth, Five Chinese Jade Figures. A Study of the Development of Sculptural Form in Hongshan Neolithic Jade Working, Orientations, vol. 21, no. 5, May 1990, pp. 54-63. Forsyth illustrates three figures worked in the round. One was in the collection of Louis C.G. Clarke and has since 1960 been in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (accession number O.55-1961), another from the Severance A. Millikin collection has since 1953 been in the Cleveland Museum of Art (accession number 1953.628), and the third, from the collection of Ernest Erickson, has been at least since the 1960s in the Ostasiatiska Museum, Stockholm. An additional figure in the Palace Museum, Beijing, has been published together with the Fitzwilliam and Stockholm examples in James C.S. Lin, The Immortal Stone. Chinese Jades from the Neolithic Period to the Twentieth Century, Cambridge, 2009, pp. 15-16.Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby's Paris, 10 June 2021, lot 77 Price: EUR 40,320 or approx. EUR 44,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A very rare jade 'humanoid figure' pendant, Neolithic period, Hongshan culture Expert remark: Compare the closely related pose, horns, and pierced sections. Note the smaller size (4.5 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 4 June 2020, lot 373 Price: HKD 93,750 or approx. EUR 12,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A miniature yellow jade humanoid figure, probably Neolithic period, Hongshan cultureExpert remark: Compare the closely related color of the jade. Note the smaller size (4 cm).紅山文化罕見青玉留皮人形佩中國，新石器時代，公元前 4000至3000年。玉人成蹲坐式，雙手放在膝蓋上，面部眉眼可辨，雙耳突出，手臂和腿之間有穿孔，頭部後面有一個水平雕刻的懸掛孔。黃色至青色的半透明玉石，帶有赤褐色皮和少量黑色斑點。 來源：義大利羅馬Filippo Salviati教授私人收藏，Filippo Salviati教授是羅馬大學東亞研究所考古系及藝術史系教授。他對中國古代文物以及玉器進行了廣泛研究並出版了很多專著。 品相：狀況極好，輕微磨損，少量小刻痕，有天然裂縫的玉料，隨著時間的推移，其中一些可能已經發展成細小的裂縫。 重量：41.0 克 尺寸：高6.1 厘米 由於字數限制，完整拍品中文翻譯請至www.zacke.at查看。

AN 'IBEX' BRONZE FINIAL, SOUTHERN SIBERIA, 6TH – 5TH CENTURY BCFinely cast in the form of an ibex with long, ribbed, and powerfully curved horns, as well as pricked funnel-shaped ears, and a short tail, standing atop a rectangular base. The elaborate finial probably once part of a throne or chariot, the hollow body has large diamond-shaped openings.Provenance: From the collection of Oliver Reginald Hoare (1945-2018). Inventory label to interior of base, '1461 C'. A prominent English art figure, described as arguably the most influential dealer in the Islamic world, Hoare joined Christie's London in 1967 where he was initially overseeing Russian art. After spotting some carpets left lying in a corridor and recognizing them as Persian, Hoare used them as the basis of a successful auction, which led to the launch of the Islamic Art Department, the first of its kind in a major auction house. He left Christie's in 1975 and opened Ahuan, a gallery in Pimlico, in partnership with David Sulzberger. In 1994, he negotiated the return of a Persian 16th-century manuscript to Iran, the Houghton Shahnameh (the most important illustrated manuscript ever created in Persia), in exchange for Willem de Kooning's Woman III which had been in Iran since the Islamic revolution. In the 1990s, he famously liaised with Diana, Princess of Wales.Condition: Good condition, overall as expected and fully commensurate with age. Old wear, losses, small dents, minor nicks, extensive signs of weathering and erosion, soil encrustations. Naturally grown patina in various tones of malachite-green overall.Weight: 751.7 gDimensions: Height 20.5 cmExpert's note: It is interesting to note that wild goats and other bovids appear in artifacts from a wide range of sites within Northern, Central and Western Asia over a long period of time spanning thousands of years. Goats are among the earliest animals domesticated by humans. The most recent genetic analysis confirms the archaeological evidence that the wild bezoar ibex of the Zagros Mountains is the likely original ancestor of probably all domestic goats today. Neolithic farmers began to herd wild goats primarily for easy access to milk and meat, as well as to their dung, which was used as fuel, and their bones, hair, and sinew which were used for clothing, building, and tools. The earliest remnants of domesticated goats dating 10,000 years before the present are found in Ganj Dareh in Iran. Goat remains have been found at archaeological sites in Jericho, Choga Mami, Djeitun, and Cayonu, dating the domestication of goats in Northern and Western Asia at between 8,000 and 9,000 years ago.Literature comparison: Compare a near-identical ibex bronze, 20 cm high, also attributed to Southern Siberia and dated 6th-5th century BC, at Galerie Samarcande, Paris, reference no. 88424. Compare a closely related example in the collection of the Musee Guimet, attributed to the Ordos region and dated to the second half of the first millennium BC, inventory number MA 3410.Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie's New York, 27 October 2004, lot 175 Price: GBP 14,340 or approx. EUR 26,200 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Achaemenid Bronze Figure of an Ibex, Second Half of 5th Century BCExpert's remark: Compare with an Achaemenid version of the same subject, dating from the same period, but of smaller size (9 cm).公元前六至五世紀西伯利亞山羊銅鈕山羊形，羊角雄健有力，漏斗形耳朵，短尾，生動活潑，矩形鈕。可能曾經是寶座或戰車的一部分，中空，菱形開口。 來源：Oliver Reginald Hoare (1945-2018) 收藏。Hoare是一位著名的英國藝術人物，可以說是伊斯蘭世界最有影響力的經銷商，他於 1967 年加入倫敦佳士得，最初負責監督俄羅斯藝術。他發現一些放在走廊上的地毯是波斯地毯後，Hoare將它們進行了成功的拍賣，以此爲基礎成立了伊斯蘭藝術部，這是大型拍賣行中的此方面第一個部門。他於 1975 年離開佳士得，與 David Sulzberger 合作在 Pimlico 開設了 Ahuan 藝廊。1994 年，他通過談判將一份十六世紀的波斯手稿《Houghton Shahnameh》（波斯有史以來最重要的插圖手稿）歸還給伊朗，以換取自伊斯蘭革命以來一直在伊朗的Willem de Kooning《女人III》。 1990 年代，他與威爾士王妃戴安娜有過交往。 品相：狀況良好，總體符合預期，與年齡完全相符。 磨損、缺損、小凹痕、輕微劃痕、大面積風化和侵蝕，土壤結殼。 自然生長的孔雀綠色包漿。 重量：751.7 克 尺寸：高20.5 厘米由於字數限制，完整拍品中文翻譯請至www.zacke.at查看。

A GRAY POTTERY TRIPOD VESSEL, LI, LOWER XIAJIADIAN CULTUREChina, circa 1500 BC. The beaker shaped vessel with a wide everted rim above a long tapered cylindrical body, raised upon three hollow conical legs, the clay of a dark buff hue. Scientific Analysis Report: A thermoluminescence analysis report issued by Oxford Authentication on 14 June 2022, based on sample number C122f98, sets the firing date of two samples taken at 3500 - 5200 years ago. A copy of the report, issued by Oxford Authentication, accompanies this lot.Provenance: From a private collection in Bavaria, Germany, built since the 1970s and into one of the largest collections of Buddhist bronzes and sculptures in Central Europe. The collector was a noted magician and as such guided by the fundamental idea that one thing can also be another, always looking for a second nature or hidden meaning behind the primary appearance of an artwork. Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, minor losses, flaking, and encrustations, all as expected from Han dynasty excavations. Small holes from sample-taking.Weight: 1,317 g Dimensions: Height 26 cmThe Lower Xiajiadian Culture, contemporary with Shang and Zhou, was centered in northeast China. The culture was named for a lower layer of excavation at the site of Xiajiadian, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia. The beaker shape was found at numerous burials, possibly used as a ritual wine vessel.Literature comparison: Compare a similar vessel illustrated in Ancient Chinese Ceramics from the Neolithic Period to the Western Han, Uragami Sokyu-Do, Japan, 1991, p. 20.Auction result comparison:Type: Near identicalAuction: Christie's New York, 5 September 2002, lot 548Price: USD 4,780 or approx. EUR 7,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A Chinese neolithic black pottery tripod vessel, li, Xiajiadian culture, circa 1500 BCAuction result comparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie's New York, 21 March 2000, lot 234Price: USD 70,700 or approx. EUR 121,800 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A rare late neolithic painted black pottery tripod vessel li, circa 1500 BC夏家店下層文化灰陶三足鬲中國，公元前約1500年。敞口，弧腹內收，腔部呈盂形，有實足根。深色陶. 科學檢測報告：隨附牛津熱釋光檢測報告副本，根據樣本C122f98，2022年6月14日測試結果，該拍品應爲3500年至5200年前所製。 來源：德國巴伐利亞的私人收藏，該收藏創建於1970年代，是歐洲最大的佛教青銅器和造像收藏之一。 這位收藏家是一位著名的魔術師，因此遵循“一物也可以是另一物”這一基本理念，總是在藝術品的主觀背後尋找第二本性或隱藏的意義。 品相：狀況極佳，與年齡相稱。大面積磨損、風化和侵蝕痕跡、輕微損失、結殼，與漢代考古發掘的預期一致。取樣的小孔。 重量：1,317克 尺寸：高26厘米 夏家店下層文化陶鬲主要分佈在內蒙古東南部、遼寧西部、河北北部和京津唐地區，屬於中國北方早期青銅文明。夏家店下層文化陶鬲以其悠久的歷史和獨特的造型，深受收藏市場推崇。文獻比較： 比較一件相似的鬲，見浦上蒼穹堂，《紀元前中國陶瓷》，日本東京，1991年，頁20。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：幾乎相同 拍賣：紐約佳士得，2002年9月5日，lot 548 價格：USD 4,780（相當於今日EUR 7,500） 描述：大約公元前1500年夏家店文化黑陶三足鬲拍賣結果比較： 形制：相近 拍賣：紐約佳士得，2000年3月21日，lot 234 價格：USD 70,700（相當於今日EUR 121,800） 描述：大約公元前1500年新石器時代晚期彩繪黑陶三足鬲

A RARE TUBULAR CONG-FORM JADE BEAD, LIANGZHU CULTUREChina, circa 3300-2200. Of cylindrical form, the two-tiered miniature bead is finely incised with two bands of stylized masks and drilled from both ends. The stone is now opaque and of buff color from alteration.Provenance: From a private estate in New York City, USA. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and few smoothened chips. The stone with natural fissures which have developed into small hairline cracks over time.Weight: 12.6 g Dimensions: Length 3.3 cmLiterature comparison: Two similar beads are illustrated by J. Rawson in Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, British Museum, 1995, p. 144, no. 5:11, where the author notes that similar beads have been found in Liangzhu tombs. Another similar bead is illustrated by J. F. So in Chinese Jades from the Cissy and Robert Tang Collection, Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2015, p. 48, no. 4a. The author, p. 51, notes that the features carved on the bead are typical of Liangzhu jades from Fanshan and Yaoshan, as demonstrated by those in a string of beads found at Yaoshan, Yuhang, Zhejiang province, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China, vol. 8, Beijing, 2005, p. 128. Auction result comparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie's New York, 17 March 2016, lot 905Price: USD 81,250 or approx. EUR 93,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A rare small opaque buff-colored jade tubular bead, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture, circa 2500 BCExpert remark: Compare the closely related form, color, and incision work, as well as the length (3.1 cm).罕見良渚文化琮形玉珠中國，約公元前3300至2200年。玉珠被雕刻成琮形，獸形面具紋，穿孔。不透明的玉料上大面積鈣化。 來源：美國紐約私人收藏。 品相：品相極好，輕微磨損 ，小磕損隨著時間的推移已經變得平滑。帶有天然裂縫的石料，隨著時間的推移，其中一些可能會發展成細小的裂縫。 重量：12.6 克 尺寸：長 3.3 厘米 文獻比較： 兩件相似的玉珠，出土於良渚墓，見 J. Rawson，《Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing》，大英博物館藏，1995年， 頁144, 編號5:11。另一件相似的玉珠，見 J. F. So，Chinese Jades from the Cissy and Robert Tang Collection，藝術博物館，香港中文大學，2015年，頁48，編號4a。作者在第51頁指出，珠子上雕刻的特徵是反山和瑤山良渚玉器的典型特徵，浙江余杭瑤山出土的一串珠子上的特徵就證明了這一點，《中國出土玉器全集》第8卷，北京，2005年，第128頁。拍賣結果比較： 形制：非常相近 拍賣：紐約佳士得，2016年3月17日，lot 905 價格：USD 81,250（相當於今日EUR 95,000） 描述：約西元前2500年新石器時代良渚文化罕見不透明的水色小管狀玉珠 專家評論：比較一件玉珠，非常相近的外型、顏色、雕刻，以及尺寸(3.1 厘米)。

A MOTHER-OF-PEARL-INLAID BLACK LACQUER RECTANGULAR TRAY, JOSEON DYNASTYKorea, 16th-17th century. With a wide flaring rim, superbly decorated with stylized lotus flowers on scrolling vines, to the interior with stylized auspicious symbols topping each flower, the base lacquered cinnabar red. Provenance: Gerard Hawthorn LTD Oriental Art, London, UK, 24 April 2008. A noted private collection in Abcoude, Netherlands, acquired from the above. A copy of the invoice, erroneously describing the piece as Chinese and from the Ming dynasty, accompanies this lot. Condition: Excellent condition commensurate with age, old wear, crackling, a small loss to one corner with associated touchup, the interior with four and the exterior with two replaced inlays (inspected under strong blue light) out of more than 200 inlays in total. Weight: 639 g Dimensions: Size 4.3 x 31.7 x 19.2 cmAlthough they superficially resemble and, indeed, are often incorrectly termed as orchids, or even peony blossoms, the flowers depicted on this tray actually are stylized lotus blossoms, as indicated by the appearance of the associated buds. The stylized blossoms, which are known as byeonryeon in Korean, likely first appeared in the silk textiles of China's Song dynasty (960–1279). Popularized in Chinese porcelains of the Yuan (1279–1368) and Ming (1368–1644) dynasties, the foreign lotus design, or fanlianwen, spread to Korea early in the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) and was incorporated into the decorative schemes of Korean blue-and-white porcelain, buncheong ware, and inlaid lacquers. Though little is known of the earliest history of lacquer-making in Korea, archaeological evidence indicates that Korean craftsmen were making lacquered objects at least two thousand years ago, in the late Neolithic and early historic periods. By the Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) Koreans were producing elegant lacquer vessels and sutra-storage chests in black lacquer embellished with small floral designs inlaid in mother of pearl, the designs occasionally augmented with small, twisted, metal wires inset as borders and as the stems in floral arabesques. The tradition of inlaid lacquers continued into the succeeding Joseon dynasty (1392–1910), usually in black lacquer with bold floral designs inlaid in mother of pearl. Auction result comparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie's New York, 18 April 2018, lot 141Price: USD 137,500 or approx. EUR 162,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A mother-of-pearl-inlaid foliate-shaped tray, Joseon dynasty (17th-18th century) Expert remark: Compare the related decoration. Note the form and size (43.4 cm)Auction result comparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie's New York, 22 September 2020, lot 252Price: USD 81,250 or approx. EUR 93,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer stationery box, Joseon dynasty (16th-17th century)Expert remark: Compare the decoration. Note the form and size (39.1 x 31.4 x 10.2 cm)Auction result comparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 27 May 2014, lot 902Price: HKD 750,000 or approx. EUR 115,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A Rare Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid 'Peony' Lacquer Box and Cover Korea, Chosŏn Dynasty, 16th / 17th centuryExpert remark: Compare the related decoration.朝鮮王朝黑漆髹螺鈿托盤 韓國，十六至十七世紀。托盤敞口，邊緣外翻。飾有纏枝卷葉花卉紋，以及吉祥符號。底部朱紅漆。 來源：倫敦Gerard Hawthorn LTD 東方藝術藝廊，2008年4月24日。荷蘭Abcoude 知名私人收藏，購於上述藝廊。隨附發票複印件（錯誤描述該拍品來自中國明代）。 品相：良好的狀態與年齡相符，舊磨損，開裂，一角有缺損和小修補，一共200多個鑲嵌螺鈿只有內部有四處，以及外部有兩處螺鈿經過替換（在強藍光下檢查）。 重量：639 克 尺寸：4.3 x 31.7 x 19.2 厘米 拍賣結果比較： 形制：相近 拍賣：紐約佳士得，2018年4月18日，lot 141 價格：USD 137,500（相當於今日EUR 162,500） 描述：朝鮮王朝十六至十七世紀黑漆嵌螺鈿纏枝花紋花瓣盤 專家評論：比較相近的裝飾。請注意外型和尺寸(43.4厘米)。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：相近 拍賣：紐約佳士得，2020年9月22日，lot 252 價格：USD 81,250（相當於今日EUR 93,000） 描述：朝鮮王朝十六至十七世紀黑漆嵌螺鈿纏枝花紋方蓋盒 專家評論：比較裝飾. 請注意外型和尺寸(39.1 x 31.4 x 10.2厘米)。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：相近 拍賣：香港蘇富比，2014年5月27日，lot 902 價格：HKD 750,000（相當於今日EUR 115,000） 描述：朝鮮王朝十六至十七世紀黑漆嵌螺鈿纏枝牡丹紋長方蓋盒 專家評論：比較相近的裝飾。

A PAINTED POTTERY TWO-HANDLED JAR, NEOLITHIC PERIODChina, Majiayao culture, 3rd-2nd millennium BC. The compressed globular jar tapering towards the foot, surmounted by a cylindrical neck with everted rim, flanked by two loop handles, the shoulders and neck painted in black and red with medallions filled with a hatched design above a wave border. Provenance: New York trade. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Some old wear, the colors somewhat faded, traces of weathering and aging, firing flaws, encrustations, minor nicks, surface scratches, minuscule losses.Weight: 3,528 g Dimensions: Height 35.9 cmThe Majiayao culture was a group of smaller neolithic communities who lived primarily in the upper Yellow River region of eastern Gansu, Qinghai and northern Sichuan, China. The culture existed from c. 3300 to 2000 BC and marks the first time in history that the upper Yellow River region was widely occupied by agricultural settlements. It is famous for its painted pottery, which is regarded as a peak of pottery manufacturing at that time.Literature comparison: Compare a closely related pottery jar, dated to the Neolithic period, Majiayao culture, Machang phase, 2nd millennium BC, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1992.165.12. Auction result comparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie's New York, 21 March 2019, lot 1218Price: USD 27,500 or approx. EUR 31,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A painted pottery two-handled jar, China, Neolithic period, Majiayao culture, Banshan type, 3rd millennium BCExpert remark: Compare the closely related form and decoration. Note the related size (39.4 cm).新石器時代彩繪雙係罐中國，馬家窯文化，公元前3000至2000年。罐泥質紅陶，口外侈，薄唇，球形腹，小平底，腹部兩側有豎耳。於橙紅色陶衣上繪黑彩漩渦紋。彩繪線條流暢。 來源：紐約古玩交易。 品相：狀況良好，一些磨損，褪色，有風化和老化的痕跡，燒製缺陷，結殼，輕微的劃痕和微小的缺損。 重量：3,528 克 尺寸：高35.9 厘米 馬家窯文化主要分佈於黃河上游地區及甘肅，青海境內的洮河、大夏河及湟水流域和涼州的谷水流域一帶，是黃河上游新石器時代晚期文化。它因最早發現於馬家窯遺址而得名，年代約為公元前3300年-前2050年。馬家窯文化以彩陶器為代表，它的器型豐富多姿，圖案極富於變化和絢麗多彩，是人類遠古先民創造的最燦爛的文化、是彩陶藝術發展的頂峯。 文獻比較： 比較一件非常相近的公元前2000年前新石器時代馬家窯文化彩繪雙係罐，收藏於紐約大都會藝術博物館，編號1992.165.12。 拍賣結果比較： 形制：非常相近 拍賣：紐約佳士得，2019年3月21日，lot 1218 價格：USD 27,500（相當於今日EUR 31,000） 描述：公元前3000年前新石器時代馬家窯文化半山遺址款彩繪雙係罐 專家評論：比較非常相近的外型和裝飾。請注意相近尺寸(39.4 厘米)。

AN IMPORTANT AND RARE CELADON JADE CARVING OF AN OWL, LATE SHANG DYNASTYChina, 13th-11th century BC. Finely carved in the round as an owl standing on its feet and tail, with the head held high and accentuated with a pair of raised round eyes and sharp hooked beak, further portrayed with a pair of wings curving to the back of the figure. The back of the head is pierced at an angle with two holes connecting to each other. The translucent stone is of a slightly yellowish celadon tone with veins and areas of russet and pale gray and some dark brown specks. Provenance: From the collection of David Taylor, and thence by descent within the Taylor family. David Taylor (1876-1958) was a notable British businessman who lived in Belfast and owned various commercial buildings along with a substantial portfolio of stocks and shares. During his travels to China in the early 20th century, he acquired many jades, including the present lot. His grandfather, Sir David Taylor, was born in 1815 in Perth, Scotland, and moved to Belfast in 1842, serving as its Mayor in 1867 and for two consecutive terms in 1883 and 1884. Condition: Very good condition commensurate with age. Distinct old wear and weathering, the stone with few natural fissures, some of which may have developed into tiny hairline cracks over time. Minor nicks here and there, some shallow surface scratches.Weight: 42.4 g Dimensions: Height 4.5 cmDepictions of owls feature prominently among the arts of the Shang dynasty. The bird's nocturnal and binocular vision and its binaural hearing and hunting skill were revered from the Neolithic period, when the earliest jade carvings of owls were made. The owl's terrifying screech would have fit the perception of abnormality in ritual and magic, and it is most likely that the bird played a significant role in Shang belief. It has been suggested that the mythical black bird (xuanniao) from which the Shang people were believed to have originated was in fact an owl. Alternatively, Sun Xinzhou has suggested that the mythical ancestor Di Jun (also known as Di Ku, Shun) can be identified with the owl deity protector of agriculture (Sun Xinzhou, 'Chixiao chongbai huaxia lishi wenming' [On the strigidae worship and historical civilization in China], Journal of Tianjin Normal University (Social Sciences), no. 5, 2004, pp 31-7). Literature comparison:Jade owls were excavated from the Tomb of Fu Hao in modern-day Anyang, Henan province, and illustrated in Tomb of Lady Hao at Yinxu, Beijing, 1980, pl. 137, nos. 1-3, together with a further related beaked bird with horns, pl. 134 no. 3. A related jade owl was included in the exhibition Chinese Jade Animals, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1996, cat. no. 17. See also two marble owls, excavated from the Shang royal cemetery at Xibeigang, on the northern bank of the Huan river, one of which is illustrated in Cheng Te-K'un, Archaeology in China, vol. 2, Shang China, Cambridge, 1960, pl. Xa. Auction result comparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie's Hong Kong, 30 November 2016, lot 3202Price: HKD 4,620,000 or approx. EUR 627,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: An important and rare celadon jade carving of an owlExpert remark: Compare the related pose, eyes, and wings. Note the different ears and beak. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2 April 2019, lot 3416Price: HKD 350,000 or approx. EUR 44,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A celadon and russet jade figure of an owlExpert remark: Compare the near identical pose, eyes, beak, and ears, as well as the closely related color of the jade. Note the slightly smaller size (3.5 cm).晚商重要青玉鴟鴞中國，公元前十三至十四世紀。青黃色玉，圓雕鴟鴞形，作昂首挺胸矗立狀。翹鼻、額尖和凸角。重環眼，眼珠圓瞪，目光犀利，勾喙回捲為一孔，頸短粗。頭後部有兩個相互連接的孔。前胸飽滿，翅羽收攏，歧尾略翹，腿粗壯，下出一短榫。隨體形佈局的雙線卷雲紋。質地細膩純淨。半透明的玉料帶有天然赤褐色和淺灰色紋理和一些深棕色斑點。 來源：David Taylor收藏，自此一直保存在Taylor家族中。David Taylor (1876-1958) 曾是一位著名的英國商人，住在貝爾法斯特，擁有各種商業建築以及大量股票和股份。二十世紀初，他到中國旅行時購買了許多玉器，包括現在的這件。他的祖父戴維·泰勒爵士 1815 年出生於蘇格蘭Perth，1842 年移居貝爾法斯特，1867 年擔任市長，1883 年和 1884 年連任。 品相：與年齡相稱，品相非常好。明顯的磨損和風化，輕微天然裂縫，隨著時間的推移，其中一些可能已經發展成微小的冲綫。局部小刻痕，表面有一些劃痕。 重量：42.4 克 尺寸：高4.5 厘米由於字數限制，完整中文敘述請至www.zacke.at查看。

A RARE AND MASSIVE MOTTLED JADE CONG, LIANGZHU CULTUREChina, late Neolithic period, c. 3300-2200 BC. The thick-walled cong is of short square section with rounded sides and a cylindrical interior, each corner carved with a stylized human and animal mask design. The eyes and noses as well as the raised bands above the human mask and recesses in between are finely incised with line and scroll designs. The faces are divided with a gently recessed vertical band to the center of each side.Provenance: From the private collection of Irene and Wolfgang Zacke (1942-2022). The couple has been active in the art trade for well over half a century and were one of the first in Austria to offer Asian works of art in their gallery, starting in 1968. Since the late 1980s, they have been collecting ancient Chinese jades, building an extensive and multiply published collection over the decades.Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Some wear, weathering, and minor alterations, as well as small nicks and nibbling to edges, the stone with natural inclusions and fissures, some of which have developed into small hairline cracks over time.Weight: 1,349 g Dimensions: Diameter 10 cmThe partly translucent stone is of an olive-green and russet-brown tone with russet veins and inclusions as well as patches of cream tone and areas of opaque ivory-white calcification.The present cong displays the distinctive characteristic of Liangzhu culture cong vessels, with a square outer section around a circular inner part and decorated with stylized masks neatly arranged on each of the four corners. The exceptional craftsmanship is particularly notable in the very delicate and precise quality of the carving and incised decoration, enhanced by the lustrous patina formed on the surface over time.Literature comparison: Compare a similar jade cong, Liangzhu culture, also carved with two registers of stylized human and animal masks excavated in 1984 from Fuquanshan in Qingpu County, Shanghai, now in the Shanghai Administrative Committee of Culture Heritage, illustrated in Liangzhu wenhua yuqi, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 17, pl. 19. See another related example of a jade cong, included in the Min Chiu Society Thirtieth Anniversary Exhibition: Selected Treasures of Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 1990, no. 195. For several other examples of two-tiered cong, see F. Salviati, 4000 Years of Chinese Archaic Jades, Edition Zacke, Vienna 2017, nos. 51, 53, and 54.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie's New York, 19 March 2015, lot 470 Price: USD 60,000 or approx. EUR 75,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A mottled olive-green, russet-brown and ivory-colored opaque jade cong, China, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture, 3rd millennium BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related two-tiered form, animal masks, and olive-green and russet-brown color of the jade with similar opaque ivory-white calcification. Note the thinner walls and smaller size (6.5 cm).Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 5 April 2016, lot 1 Price: HKD 375,000 or approx. EUR 52,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A mottled green jade vessel, cong, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture Expert remark: Compare the closely related two-tiered form, animal masks, and olive-green and russet-brown color of the jade with similar opaque ivory-white calcification. Note the thinner walls and smaller size (7.5 cm).良渚文化玉琮中國 ，新石器時代末期，公元前約3300-2200年。器呈外方內圓的筒形，兩端琢成圓口，上下穿透，四角各有不同人面紋。 來源：Irene與 Wolfgang Zacke (1942-2022)。自1968 年起，這對夫婦活躍在藝術貿易界，並且是奧地利最早在其畫廊中提供亞洲藝術品的人之一。1980年代後期，他們一直在收集中國古代玉器，幾十年來建立了極富多樣性的收藏。 品相：品相良好，一些磨損、風化、細微變化、刻痕，邊緣有一些小磕損，玉料帶有天然的內沁和裂縫，隨著時間的推移，其中一些已經發展成細小的裂縫。 重量：1,349 克 尺寸：直徑10 厘米這件玉琮展現了良渚文化的鮮明特色，外方內圓，均以四角為中軸線，雕琢神人獸面紋，雕琢精細。玉質精良，玉色深綠，局部得見黃白沁斑，不透明的象牙白色鈣化區域。表面包漿細膩。由於字數限制，完整中文敘述請至www.zacke.at查看。

A YUE CELADON-GLAZED FIGURE OF A RAM, WESTERN JIN DYNASTYChina, 265-317. The recumbent animal resting upon its tucked-in hind legs and kneeling forelegs, with a robust rump, the voluminous body incised with wings, a curvaceous spine and short tail, its raised head pierced with a circular aperture on top, detailed with bulging eyes and lop ears encircled by distinct horns. Provenance: Canadian trade. Condition: Very good condition commensurate with age, extensive old wear, shallow surface scratches and other traces of use, manufacturing flaws such as pitting, brown spots and glaze recesses, the glaze crackling is intentional, one ear is reattached, with an associated small chip. Weight: 892 g Dimensions: Length 19.8 cmApplied overall with an olive-green glaze suffused by a dense network of crackles, except for the bottom of the four feet where the naked ware is revealed, partially burnt to a dark orange tone in the firing.Expert's note: This charming piece belongs to a group of playful vessels made for the scholar's desk that was produced in kilns in northern Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu province. Vessels of this form have been unearthed from Three Kingdoms (220-265) and Jin (265-420) dynasty tombs, suggesting that they were highly treasured by their owners.Literature comparison: Compare two related rams in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum. Porcelain of the Jin and Tang Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1996, pls. 30 and 31. Compare one in The Tsui Museum of Art, Hong Kong, published in Chinese Ceramics I, Neolithic to Liao, Hong Kong, 1991, pl. 58, and another in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, illustrated in Michael Sullivan, Chinese Ceramics, Bronzes and Jades in the collection of Sir Alan and Lady Barlow, London, 1963, pl. 71a. A similar ram is also illustrated in The Complete Works of Chinese Ceramics, volume 4, Shanghai, 2000, pl. 163, together with an example without incised lines on the body, excavated from Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, pl. 164. Auction result comparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 25 November 2014, lot 1025Price: HKD 1,360,000 or approx. EUR 194,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A 'yue' celadon-glazed ram, Western Jin dynastyExpert remark: Compare the closely related form and glaze, including the crackles. Note the slightly smaller size (15 cm), the lack of incisions to mark the fur, and the more elaborate depiction of the head and legs.Auction result comparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Sotheby's London, 16 May 2018, lot 68Price: GBP 50,000 or approx. EUR 64,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A 'yue' celadon-glazed ram, Western Jin dynastyExpert remark: Compare the closely related form and glaze as well as the related size (18 cm). Note that the incision work to mark the fur is slightly more elaborate, as well as the horns and hoofs.西晉越窯青釉臥羊中國，265-317年。羊臥伏狀，昂首平視，耳下可見彎曲的圓角。體態肥碩可愛。背部飾對稱的線條紋。腹部淺刻戳點和條紋，似羽翼張揚。線條流暢，造型優美。羊首上端開一圓洞。此器釉色青綠，晶瑩潤澤。釉厚處色調較深，釉薄處則淺淡，整體效果晶瑩明澈，四足底部露胎，呈深橙色。 來源：加拿大古玩交易市場。 品相：品相非常好，與年齡相稱，表面有大量劃痕、磨損和使用痕跡，製造缺陷如褐色斑點、釉面開片，一耳重新銜接過，帶有小磕損。 重量：892 克 尺寸：長19.8 厘米 專家注釋：這件擺件屬於浙江北部和江蘇南部越窯生產的器皿。 三國（220-265）和晉（265-420）代的墓葬出土了這種形式的器皿，表明它們受到主人的高度重視。 文獻比較：比較兩件相近的臥羊，見北京故宮博物館編，《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集·晉唐瓷器》，香港，1996年，頁30-31。比較另一件臥羊，見香港藝術館編，Chinese Ceramics I, Neolithic to Liao, Hong Kong，1991年，頁58。另一件收藏於牛津的Ashmolean Museum，見Michael Sullivan編，Chinese Ceramics, Bronzes and Jades in the collection of Sir Alan and Lady Barlow，倫敦，1963年，頁71a。一件相似的臥羊，見《中國陶瓷全集》，輯四，上海，2000年，頁163。同本書另一件沒有刻紋的臥羊，出土於浙江江蘇，頁164。由於字數限制，完整中文敘述請至www.zacke.at查看。