Posted By: Bill
Posted Date: Dec 05, 2008 (03:21 PM)
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Interestingly he told me a lady from China who saw the pictures of his collections told him that they were indeed made of "jade" and said most people had no idea what "jade" is. She said this was real jade, Xiu Yan jade, the national jade in China.
In a way, she is right, if that is, you would go by the Chinese way of defining jade - any stones that are beuatiful or one more step further, beautiful stons that possess the five virtues.
Indeed, some archaic jades were made of Xiu Yan jade and Dushan jade. However, by western standard or standard used by most today's jade collectors, I am afraid Xiu Yan jade, a serpentine (or some called it bowenite) should not be called "jade" and carvings made of such should not be labeled as "jade carvings" without clarifications.
Furthermore, Patrick believes these carvings were made of Suzhou (Soochow) jade because bowenite was mined in Suzhou. I do not believe I can agree with him in that because I could not find any references regarding Suzhou being a large production area of bowenite or serpentine. I came upon one Chinese reference which says this type of serpentine carvings were called "Suzhou jade" was because Suzhou was the largest "Jade Carving Center" in China and many such carvings made of Xiu Yan jade were carved there. 80% of the serpentine/bowenite jade in China were mined in Xiu Yan, Liaoning, China.
I believe another member in this forum had told him that most of his carvings were made of serpentine (or bowenite). I told him the same (except one piece he posted in the Message Board).
I do not know if he believes what we told him or not.
I do not like the term of "bowenite" because academically there is no such term in geology. I do not know whether the bowenite found in Rhode Island, U.S.A. is different than those mined in China or not. I also do not know the exact physical properties of so-called bowenite. If anybody would want of express their opinions, it would be more than welcome.
Unfortunately, many such "jade pieces" found on today's eBay and many internet sites are not really jade (nephrite or jadeite). Let buyers beware.
Bill
- Patrick Norton - Dec 08, 2008 (05:12 PM)