The Norton-Richards Collection of jades sold at Christie's New York, 19 - 20 September 2013

3 janvier 2020

The Norton-Richards Collection of jades sold at Christie's New York, 19 - 20 September 2013

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Ralph Hubbard and Elizabeth Caloun Norton, circa 1941.

The Norton-Richards Collection of jades was acquired by Ralph H. Norton (1875-1953) and his daughter Beatrice Norton Richards (1920-2001) over a twenty-year period beginning in 1941. After he retired as president of Acme Steel in 1939, Mr. Norton moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he developed an interest in jade carvings. He had envisioned establishing a museum to exhibit his fine collection of Post-Impressionist and 20th century American paintings. However, upon reviewing his collection, he decided to expand the museum's holdings and his collection to include non-Western art. He turned to fellow West Palm Beach resident Stanley Charles Nott (1902-1969), who sold Mr. Norton several 18th and 19th century jade carvings in 1942. This acquisition was followed by a purchase of forty archaic jade carvings from C.T. Loo (1880-1957). Many of these carvings were included in Loo's An Exhibition of Chinese Archaic Jade at the Norton Gallery in 1950, and the majority of the purchase entered into the museum's holdings.

Alongside his daughter, Mrs. Beatrice Norton Richards, Mr. Norton oversaw the construction and installation of his collection in the newly constructed Art Deco building located on South Olive Avenue. Mrs. Beatrice Norton Richards continued to be closely involved with the Norton Gallery after her father's death, eventually donating a portion of her collection to the museum.

The following selection of exquisite jade carvings, dating from the Shang to Qing dynasty, passed to her son, who proudly displayed these superb carvings in his home for decades. It is with great pleasure that we present this collection from the Norton-Richards Collection.

2013_NYR_02726_1661_000(a_mottled_olive-green_and_opaque_buff_jade_bangle_neolithic_period_lia)

Lot 1661. A mottled olive-green and opaque buff jade bangle, Neolithic Period, Liangzhu Culture, circa 2500 BC; 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. Price realised USD 10,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

The thick ring is of irregular outline, and the inner surface is convex and appears to have been carved from both sides. The olive-green stone has opaque alteration of buff color throughout.

Provenance: C.T. Loo & Co.
R.H. Norton (1875-1953), Palm Beach, Florida, acquired in 1950.
Beatrice Norton-Richards (1920-2001), and thence by descent within the family.

Note: Compare the jade bangle of similar stone, in the Nanjing Museum, illustrated in Liangzhu Wenhua Yuqi (Liangzhu Culture Jade), Beijing, 1989, p. 77, no. 101.

2013_NYR_02726_1662_000(two_olive-green_jade_pendants_late_shang_early_western_zhou_dynasty_12)

Lot 1662. Two olive-green jade pendants, Late Shang-Early Western Zhou Dynasty, 12th-11th century BC; 4 1/8 and 3 1/8 in. (10.5 and 8 cm.) long. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000. Price realised USD 27,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

One is in the shape of a fish with curved body terminating in a notched tail, and carved on each side with a circular eye, and finely incised fins. The other is in the shape of a bird with small hooked beak, and carved on each side with upswept wings and down-curved tail. Each is pierced from one side with a suspension hole, and the stone of each is semi-translucent and has a satiny polish fitted box.

Provenance: C.T. Loo & Co.
R.H. Norton (1875-1953), Palm Beach, Florida, acquired in 1950.
Beatrice Norton-Richards (1920-2001), and thence by descent within the family.

Exhibited: Fish pendant: Norton Gallery of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida, An Exhibition of Chinese Archaic Jades, C.T. Loo & Co., 20 January - 1 March 1950, pl. XXVIII (2).

2013_NYR_02726_1665_000(a_white_jade_dragon_pendant_eastern_zhou_dynasty_4th-3rd_century_bc)

Lot 1665. A white jade dragon pendant, Eastern Zhou dynasty, 4th-3rd century BC; 2 3/8 in. (6 cm.) long. Estimate USD 3,000 - USD 8,000. Price realised USD 32,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

The pendant is finely carved in the shape of a dragon with crested head and long snout, and with sharply curved S-shaped body detailed on both sides with scroll pattern. The semi-translucent stone is of buff-white color and there are traces of cinnabar.

Provenance: C.T. Loo & Co.
R.H. Norton (1875-1953), Palm Beach, Florida, acquired in 1950.
Beatrice Norton-Richards (1920-2001), and thence by descent within the family.

Exhibited: On loan: Norton Gallery and School of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida, 1973.

2013_NYR_02726_1666_000(two_small_early_jade_pendants_western_zhou_eastern_zhou_dynasty_10th-3)

Lot 1666. Two small early jade pendants, Western Zhou-Eastern Zhou Dynasty, 10th-3rd century BC; 2½ and 1 7/8 in. (6.3 and 4.8 cm.) long. Estimate USD 3,000 - USD 5,000. Price realised USD 6,875. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

One is a semi-translucent, whitish jade dragon-form knot opener carved on both sides with the details of the head, horns, bent legs, and scales on the tail, and pierced through the tongue. The other is a semi-translucent, pale and dark grey jade, shaped circular plaque carved on one side with the details of the split body of a dragon surrounding a central aperture, the head, which is also pierced, at one end, and the tail and feet at the other.

Provenance: C.T. Loo & Co.
R.H. Norton (1875-1953), Palm Beach, Florida, acquired in 1950.
Beatrice Norton-Richards (1920-2001), and thence by descent within the family.

Exhibited: Both on loan: Norton Gallery and School of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida, 1973.

2013_NYR_02726_1668_000(a_small_pale_brownish-white_jade_figure_of_a_camel_song_ming_dynasty_1)

Lot 1668. A small pale brownish-white jade figure of a camel, Song-Ming dynasty, 12th-17th century; 2¾ in. (7 cm.) long. Estimate USD 5,000 - USD 7,000. Price realised USD 6,875. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

The camel has one hump and is shown in a recumbent position with head facing forward, legs tucked beside the body, and tail curled to one side. The base is flat. The whitish stone is imbued with pale brown color, wood stand, box.

Provenance: R.H. Norton (1875-1953), Palm Beach, Florida, acquired 1941-1953.
Beatrice Norton-Richards (1920-2001), and thence by descent within the family.

2013_NYR_02726_1669_000(a_small_greyish-white_and_black_jade_carving_of_two_cats_17th_18th_cen)

Lot 1669. A small greyish-white and black jade carving of two cats, 17th-18th century; 2 3/8 in. (6 cm.) wide. Estimate USD 5,000 - USD 7,000. Price realised USD 5,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

The group is carved as two recumbent cats, with a butterfly to the side of the head of the smaller cat. The mottled pale grey stone has areas of blackish-brown color and has a satiny polish.

Provenance: R.H. Norton (1875-1953), Palm Beach, Florida, acquired 1941-1953.
Beatrice Norton-Richards (1920-2001), and thence by descent within the family.

2013_NYR_02726_1667_000(a_dark_grey-flecked_white_jade_petal-lobed_bowl_18th_century)

Lot 1667. A dark grey-flecked white jade petal-lobed bowl, 18th century; 4 in. (10.2 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 6,000 - USD 8,000. Price realised USD 47,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

The thin, translucent body is carved as six petals that rise from the narrow ring foot to the petal-barbed rim. The translucent white stone is suffused with areas of fine dark grey and paler speckling.

Provenance: R.H. Norton (1875-1953), Palm Beach, Florida, acquired 1941-1953.
Beatrice Norton-Richards (1920-2001), and thence by descent within the family.

2013_NYR_02726_1670_000(a_small_white_jade_water_pot_18th_century)

Lot 1670. A small white jade water pot, 18th century; 2 7/8 in. (7.8 cm.) wide. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000. Price realised USD 35,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

The water pot, of rectangular cushion shape with indented corners, is raised on a square foot and carved in low relief on each facet of the canted shoulder with a pair of confronted archaistic dragons above a key-fret border at mid-body, while each facet of the lower body is bordered by the terrestrial diagram and clouds. To one side is an openwork handle formed by a chilong crawling towards the mouth rim. The semi-translucent stone is of white color, wood stand.

Provenance: R.H. Norton (1875-1953), Palm Beach, Florida, acquired 1941-1953.
Beatrice Norton-Richards (1920-2001), and thence by descent within the family.

2013_NYR_02726_1671_000(a_white_jade_globular_censer_and_cover_18th_century)

Lot 1671. A white jade globular censer and cover, 18th century; 5¾ in. (14.5 cm.) across handles. Estimate USD 30,000 - USD 50,000. Price realised USD 147,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

The globular body is raised on a ring foot, and is flanked by a pair of wide scroll handles formed by horned dragon heads issuing vapor. The domed cover has a flat button finial. The well-polished, semi-translucent stone has some opaque white mottling in the base and foot, and on one side where there is some added russet color, wood stand.

Provenance: Stanley Charles Nott (1902-1969).
R.H. Norton (1875-1953), Palm Beach, Florida, acquired 1941-1953.
Beatrice Norton-Richards (1920-2001), and thence by descent within the family.

Literature: Stanley Charles Nott, A Catalogue of Rare Chinese Jade Carvings, Palm Beach Florida, 1940, p. 18, no. 20 (not illustrated).

Exhibited: Palm Beach, Florida, Stanley Charles Nott, Chinese Jade Carvings, 1940, no. 20.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, New York, 19 - 20 September 2013