Lot 706. A large yellowish-green jade dragon-form pendant, Warring States period, 4th-3rd century BC; 13 ¾ in. (34.9 cm.) wide, cloth box. Estimate USD 30,000 - USD 60,000. © Christie's 2021
The dragon has a backward-turned head with rolled snout, and the undulating body is carved on both sides in low relief with scrolls within plain borders and pierced with a suspension hole. The stone is of pale yellowish-green tone.
Provenance: Private Institution, California, by 1999.
Note: This unusually large jade dragon pendant can be compared to other Warring States examples with similar backward-turned heads and scrolling bodies carved with scrolls, such as a pair of smaller size (28 cm.) from Hebei province, and three further examples of smaller size (ranging from 6.2 cm. to 22 cm.) from Huaiyang county, Henan province, illustrated in Zhongguo yuqi quanji, vol. 3, Hebei, 1993, nos. 260 and 274-76, respectively. All of these pendants have a small suspension hole below the upper edge of the curved body indicating their orientation when suspended.
Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, New York, 23-24 september 2021
