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Subject:Jade Buddha
Posted By: Chris Wed, Jul 29, 2015 IP: 89.73.72.59

I need information how old is this Buddha head from jade. It is 45 cm high and weight 5,35 kg. This item was bought in South China in 1965







Subject:Re: Jade Buddha
Posted By: Ernest Wilhelm Thu, Jul 30, 2015

That is a very high gloss...did you do the scratch test?
Ernest

Subject:Re: Jade Buddha
Posted By: Chris Fri, Jul 31, 2015

I have scratched it and I have no doubt it is jade.

Subject:Re: Jade Buddha
Posted By: Super Thu, Jul 30, 2015

I doubt very much this buddha head was made of jade.

Subject:Re: Jade Buddha
Posted By: Chris Fri, Jul 31, 2015

I have scratched it. I have no doubt it is genuine jade, probably Hetian jade.

Subject:Re: Jade Buddha
Posted By: Super Sat, Aug 01, 2015

Not try to contradict you since you have the piece. But based on my experience, white (based on the color shown on your picture) stone like this, even though passing the scratch test, especially this large, very seldom was made of nephrite jade. It really does not look like Hetian nephrite jade to me. However, without testing its density, I really cannot say for sure. I would guess its density to be between 2.50 - 2.65, too low for nephrite jade. Now of course I can be wrong since I only guessed based on your pictures. No pun intended.

Subject:Re: Jade Buddha
Posted By: Super Mon, Aug 03, 2015

If the height of the "jade" buddha (45 cm) provided by you was indeed accurate, then this piece was pretty large, I estimated it would have a volume of at least 16,000 - 18,000 cc. (size would probably be about 45 cm x 24.5 cm x 24 cm) I do not know how its weight can only be 5.35 kg or 5,350 gm unless I misunderstood the decimal point system used in Poland. In short, if all of the info of it provided by you here were correct, its density would be much much lower than that of any nephrite jade. Again, no pun intended.

We have a very large white jade buddha (the whole head and body) in our local zoo with a sign that says "made of white nephrite jade". However, I had since confirmed that it simply could not be made of nephrite jade and I was surprised they would make such a mistake. To make a head as large as yours with white Hetian nephrite jade, even in the 60s it would cost a fortune, just material alone. In today's market, just material alone would be worth millions. May be you should seek the professional opinions of an auction house in Poland?


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