Lot 232
East Asia, China, Late Shang to early Zhou period, ca. 12th to 8th century BCE. A striking stone pendant carved in the form of an abstract zoomorph, its compact body animated by scrolling relief and stylized contours. The creature's profile is reduced to bold planes and curving lines, with a squared snout, stepped jaw, and rounded elements that suggest eye and limb in highly condensed form. A small perforation at the center allowed the piece to be suspended, likely as a personal ornament or protective amulet. The surface bears a soft, time worn patina, with areas of light encrustation that accentuate the carved motifs. The interplay of raised scrolls and recessed fields reflects the emerging aesthetic of the late Shang and early Zhou periods, when animal imagery was increasingly abstracted into rhythmic, almost calligraphic design. Such pendants echo the visual language seen in contemporary bronzes and jades, where zoomorphic forms conveyed power, lineage, and spiritual potency. Size: 3.1" L x 2.1" W (7.9 cm x 5.3 cm)
Both ornamental and symbolic, this pendant embodies the early Chinese fascination with the animal realm as mediator between human and ancestral worlds, distilled here into a compact and enduring form.
Provenance: private New Jersey, USA collection, before 2000
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#200336
- Condition: Weathering and abrasions to surface commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact and excellent with good remaining detail.
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| $300 | $999 | $50 |
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| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
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| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |