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Re: Re: I have a Antique Jade Fish Carving to identify
Posted By: Bill
Posted Date: Dec 18, 2007 (05:53 PM)
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Not easy to tell from the close-up pictures because they are so blurred. There is a green tint inside the jade material and the part between its mouth and tail is kind of translucent. If its greenish-yellow color shown on its picture is accurate, I am afraid I have to agree with both Anita and Mr. Zhu that this piece is not made of nephrite and I believe it is made of serpentine, possible bowenite (a harder serpentine). I have seen and tested many pieces of jade carvings made of similar material. Of course, it can be considered as "jade" since the Chinese call it Xiu Yan jade.
(*If you really want to find out what it is made of, you can take it out and perform a specific gravity test. To be nephrite jade, its S.G. has to be at least 2.90 and higher. I think you will probably obtain a S.G. of 2.5 - 2.7 on your jade fish. A hardness or scratch test may not be too much useful if it is made of bowenite. To find a piece of truly yellow nephrite is almost impossible.)

I also do not like the color stains of the jade piece, if it is indeed made of serpentine, it should not have this type of stain and they were possibly made artificially. The carving is just so so and therefore I have to agree with Anita and Mr. Zhu again that this piece has to be modern and there is no purpose to date it. At least the frame seems to be very nice and you seem to enjoy it.

Sorry.

B

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