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I bought this incense burner from an auction recently. Could anybody tell me what kind of jade is this and possible age?

Hi Peach...from what I can see, this item is Serpentine, not Jade. A sharper picture could give more info.
Ernest

Definitely not jade, too transparent even for jadeite. If it can pass the scratch test, then it was probably made of some type of agate or aventurine. If it fails the scratch test, then probably serpentine.

Probably made in the 70s or 80s. This is my amateurish opinion. How big is it?

Bill

If there is an opening in the lid, it could be an incense burner, otherwise not.
Ernest

Dear Peach88

Beautiful copy of late Qing work in shape of pomegranates, 2 at the handles, 3 at the legs and 1 pomegranate flower on the lid. Pomegranate has many seeds, it's a bless for having many children. It's not an incense burner. It has no holes for air in and out.

In South China, pomegranate will be offerred to Kwanyin for blessing the prayers to have many children.

The stone quality is supurb, but it's too translucent to be true jade (nephrite). If it prove to be nephrite, the stone like that would worth a fortune, and you would be so blessed.

Possibly a fine molded glass.

Pls do SG test.

Have fun
Anita Mui

Ernest, Bill and Anita,
Thank you so much for your quick feedback. I was also puzzled by it's very translucent appearance. It's small, about 5"H. The lid can be taken off. I don't see any holes on it. What's SG test? How can I get it done? Are there any other tests out there? I am sending 2 more photos but the color is a little off on these 2 photos. The true color is pale celedon, more like the previous photos. Thanks again!

Dear Peach

Look at new pictures, I am surely say that it is a Peking glass, but how they inserted loose rings on the piece???? Pls check at the joints of handle, any marks of gas burning for linking the handle to the body of the jar.

SG test is a Specific Gravity test, all mineral on earth have different SG.

The specific gravity (SG) is:-

SG = (weight in air) / (weight in air � weight in water).

Nephrite (SG = 2.90 to 3.00) and jadeite (SG 3.33) can be readily distinguished this way from most pseudojades, which are typically 10% or so lighter.

Pls read the link:-

http://www.asianart.com/articles/hoffman/index.html

You may use the hanging scale to weight only the lid in the air and in the water.

Have fun
Anita Mui

Anita and Ernest,
Thanks again for your feedback. I have cleaned it and looked it against light. It has kind of loose cotton structure and a few whitish long veins. As you can see in the photo, there are 2 sort of vertical veins 15 degree apart from each other sitting right at the front body. Please let me know if the structure sounds more like Bowenite or Nephrite. I doubt it is glass as I did see carving marks around handles. I have researched SG methods and bought spring scales for it. Will keep you updated.

Pale Celadon indicates that it could be Bowenite, the hardest Serpentine. Clean it, the dirt is only there to make it look old. A soapy bath, using a soft toothbrush, will do the trick. SG= Specific gravity, but I feel it is
unnecessary, as I can see that it is a stone.
Ernest

Dear Ernest

I forgot to say that "in case, it cannot be scratched with iron needle. SG test would be performed"

Peking glass hardness is 5.5 - 6.00. The iron needle hardness is 5.5 may not leave Peking glass any marks.

Sorry.

Have fun
Anita Mui

Anita,
It did pass the scratch test.

What is the colour of the scratch? It has to be black or white !
Ernest

Ernest,

I was not able to leave a mark by scratching it with a needle. Waiting for my spring scale to arrive for SG test. Will let you know. Thanks.

Put more pressure on the needle, it has to leave a mark,otherwise the test means nothing. Do this only on larger pieces, never on very small items.
Ernest

Ernest, Anita and LKeh,
Finally I received the srping scale. And the SG is 2.45. Ernest is right, it must be Bowenite. It is a lesson learned for me as the auction house proved it was jade by a scratch test. It's my first "jade" collection :). However, I think the craftmanship is great, I still like it so much. Do you have any idea on the age? It was listed 19/20 C. Thank you all, I have learned so much in the last a few days!

I am posting 3 more items.
1) rooster with semi-translucent pale grey celedon color with black specks. Bowenite or jade? I could not perform SG test as I can't remove the woodbase.
2) a Owl (SG 2.98), possible age?
3) a Cong (SG 2.95), possible age?
Thanks a lot!

Looks like green glass artificial jade. This material is commonly seen in 1960s "jade " carving of birds on flowering branches subjects. You will see them commonly in estate auctions.

Dear Peach88

Pls stop spending your money for that kind of junks, they are next to nothing, you can only re-sell them in kilogram as per market value of the stones plus US$ 10 for craftmanship, not in the value of antiquities.

That cock and owl are possibly new jade or serpentine or the worst is a molded glass.

The Liangzhu T'sung is not the correct stone type of Liangzhu culture, possible BC nephrite or Dushan stone.

"Dushan jade or Nanyang jade" is actually Saussurite a variety of plagioclase rock in the family of feldspar, the hardness is 6-6.54 in Moh's scale, and not in the group of gem stone like jadeite or nephrite.


Sad but true.

Have fun
Anita Mui

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