Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries

I recently purchased this item out of a deceased estate. A "Specialist Chinese Valuer told me it was most likely a modern replica.
How ever upon reading the gold glitter on Jade article on this site, I decided to examine my Jade "horse" under a 60x Microscope. I was amazed to find lots of gold glitter on the surface but also "inside" of the Jade. According to this site it means this horse could be at least 1000 years old? I would be very interested to hear any opions from readers. Pictures are of the item as found and bought out of deceased estate.

I may be able to help you, as I have researched this type of Jade. Where are you located?
Easy if you in Canada, better if you are in Western Canada.
Ernest

While it is true that some Chinese jade articles mentioned that one would see some gold or silver glitter on ancient or archaic jades, now I believe that such belief was simply more myth than the truth.

The problem with your piece is that its material is at best low grade nephrite that could not be found in China and was not used in the making of ancient or archaic Chinese jade carvings. There is really no known nephrite that was being mined in China, the most common nephrite are either Hetian white (or other color) nephrite jade or Xinjiang bi yu (dark green nephrite jade), both were imported from Xinjiang. The material of your piece does not look like either and does not resemble other local soft Chinese jade such as xi yu (serpentine). Those weathering found on your pieces is artificial. In short, this piece is indeed more than likely a very modern piece. Sorry but thanks for sharing. Super

Modern, artificial aging.

would you have the reference of this gold glitter article ? I am curious...

Article about gold specs in Jade

http://www.asianart.com/phpforum/index.php?method=detailAll&Id=22344&PHPSESSID=

UK based. The gold specs can be clearly seen (under a x60 Microscope) on the surface but also "inside" the Jade?

Maybe this is indeed yet another copy as there seem to be plenty around. Something I learned the hard way! However the above article on this site caught my attention. Here's hoping eh!

Thanks for all your replies by the way.

Sorry to put it so bluntly but this is in no way a serious article by competant expert on archaic jade, this is pure speculation by amateur Bill over some readings about HS jade...

I would advise to be careful and not take it for fact.

The whole expression "gold glitter" and "metal diffusion" is a complete nonsense, it refers to jade oxydation and light reflection, by no means could it be qualified as "metal diffusion(sic)"... especially when talking about stone age artefact !!

Regards,
P.

All new to me and if this item has no real value, some one certainly put a lot of time and effort into making it look real.
I thought the article about gold glitter in Jade on Asianart was fairly genuine, but some seem to think not.
I read about BC Canadian Jade and didn't even know it existed until yesterday.
That should tell you enough about my expertise on Jade! If anything I certainly learned a lot but still no further other than what I all ready knew. That this is "probably" a later copy.
Thanks for all your replies to date but any suggestions were this type of Jade was mined would be greatly appreciated as it might get me eventually to where this came from or was made.
Maybe even BC Canada?

Hi Super and others interested. What caught my attention is this Asianart.com article, dating back to 2007 about "Fools Gold" in Jade.
If it wasn't for having read the Asianart article below, I might well agree this was/is maybe a more moderen piece.
However according to the article below, could this be Hongshan Jade?

http://big5.ce.cn/kjwh/scpm/scxx/200704/13/t20070413_11026929_3.shtml

In this article, page 4, the author talks about the current condition of Hongshan jade markets with predominate fakes and thus affect the confidence of many Hongshan collectors. Therefore, he want to give some tips in authenticating Hongshan jades. In the second paragraph of this page, this is what he says,

"Metal Marks & Patches (I will use Metal Spots and Streaks)

The topic regarding metal streaks and spots have not been discussing in any jade books I have read so far. Nobody has talked about it. Of course, such topics as "Ding Gum Chum" (Nail Gold Diffusion} or "Sha Gum Chum" (Sprinkle Gold Diffusion) have been discussed in many books and they all believe they are due to the chemical reactions between buried jades with the acidic iron elements and acidic zinc elements in the soil. I do not think this is correct. This type of metallic streaks and spots, has to be caused by the inner metallic ions found inside the jade piece, after long burial in the ground and suffereing extreme heat, pressure and other oustide factors, the metallic ions will migrate toward the jade surface and concentrate there. Therefore this phenomenon is not due to outside contact with any types of metals. This phenomenon seems to happen more frequently with deep green and dark green actinolite (probably ferro-actinolie; this is the nephrite that has more iron in their structure) which contain more metallic iron. This seldom happens with white nephrite or Hetian jades (white nephrite is basically tremolite and has more Mg and very small amount of iron). This type of metallic spots and streaks is not limited to Hongshan jades but will appear on archaic dark green jades that are one thousands years or older. Therefore such special charcterisitic will be an extremely useful tool in authenticating archaic jades."

The online valuation site who described the item as per the title in my header, also advised me to contact a Reputable London Auction House with a Specialist Chinese dept. I have done so and currently await their reply.

For the relatively small reproduction sale value of £200-00- £400-00, someone certainly did a fantastic job, trying to make this look old and authentic!

I would be very interested to hear from any expert readers, were this type of Jade, with the "Fools Gold" clearly visible on the surface and inside the Jade under a x60 microscope, was mined?

Could some one also tell me if this so called "Fools Gold" inside Jade items, is fairly common in modern and late Jade arte facts?

Again thank you for your time and replies.

Asianart.com | Associations | Articles | Exhibitions | Galleries |