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Subject:Re: Identifying chinese jade
Posted By: Super Sat, Jun 20, 2015
I probably should have kept my mouth shut because I simply do not have the expertise to appraise and date a jade piece from low-resolution pictures like others could. I also do not know if the LEE posted here is the same LEE who has been collecting jades for a while and has been posting in this forum for a while since Lee is a very common last name in both China and USA. If he is indeed the same LEE, then I do respect his opinions on jade.
However, Lee says it can be that of 18th/19th century. I really have a big problem for it to be that of 18th century. WHY? The famous Qianlong emperor was reigned from 1736-1795 (actually until he died in 1799 but he abdicated after 60 years, did not want to exceed his grandpa, Kangxi's 60 years of reign; but he was still the power until his death). Qianlong had to spend the first half of his reign to stop the Muslim revolts in Xianjiang and as a result he did not have the leisure to spend on jade and the availability of quality jade material was very limited due to the revolts. Now once the revolts were stopped, import of Hetain jade did improve but quality jade material was still not cheap and was reserved mainly for use by the imperial jade shops. Smuggling of jade material was punished by death. As a result, during Qianlong's reign, jade material used to "make" a pair of white jade bowls cost around 5,000 taels of silver. In today's money and silver spot price of around US$16, the cost of material would cost close to 95,166 US dollars. Also, before they had invented polishing with high-highness grit, just the polishing part of a jade carving during Qianlong's era would take a year or longer. Can you imagine how much a piece of genuine jade carving made during the Qianlong era (1736-1795) would cost? It would be in minimum of 6 figures in US dollars, IMHO. Prior to Qianlong, early Qing emperors simply did not have the leisure or the resources in spending on jade carvings. Therefore since 18th century is indeed 1701-1800, if this is indeed a 18th century piece as a possibility that was listed by LEE, it should not and cannot be worth only 15-20k USD. Judging by the quality of its material, I simply cannot believe it can be that of 18th century.
Can it be that of 19th century? (1801-1900) Possibly, particularly late 19th century which would make it late Qing dynasty when import of jade material became much more relaxed. But it can also be early Republican or even later.
Now since I am not an expert and IMHO to try to date any jade carvings based on low-resolution pictures is close to being impossible, therefore no pun intended. Super
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