Posted 9 years ago
shantae
(1 item)
I found this at an estate sale. I was told it is Jadenite. I can't find anything like it. There is no marking on the bottom for identification. I would appreciate anyone's input on this piece.
Vintage Japanese Urn | ||
| MyFavoriteTr…'s loves311 of 1903 |  |  |
This carving is in the style of Shang and Zhou dynasty ritual bronze, which often depicts a Taotie mask. But I can’t find a specific Taotie here and it doesn’t fit any Shang or Zhou shape that I know of. However, I believe it is Chinese rather than Japanese and is carved from something other than jadeite, probably soapstone. It should scratch easily with a strong needle where it will not show. It is unique in my experience, I haven’t see anything like it. The links below may be of further interest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taotie
http://www.chinaonlinemuseum.com/bronzes-zhou.php