Chinese Giant 'Eye' Agate Bead Necklace

A bronze figure of Buddha in an earlier style, on a lotus-flower disc base with lotus-petal rim; Buddha is seated on a low block, his legs spread, and his hands raised, wearing a tight-fitting ankle-length paridhana. 2.14 kg, 24 cm high

Fine condition.

Acquired 1960s to early 1970s. Ex ‘Buckingham Collection’, the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert.

A black jade hoof-shaped hair ornament of open-ended, truncated cylindrical form, two piercings towards the base for attachment; retaining its original patina. 188 grams, 12.5 cm high



Acquired in Hong Kong, 1980s. Ex Prof. David Anderson collection, circa 2009. UK private collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11709-198346.

The Hongshan Neolithic culture flourished in north-east China between ca. 4700 to 2900 B.C. Such items were tomb deposits, usually found cradling the head of the interred human remains. It is presumed such pieces gathered the hair which would be passed through the cylindrical body. They invariably feature a rippling effect around the top interior, and two holes at the bottom which may once have accommodated a wooden peg. Confucius stated that 'Jade is the incorruptible stone', leading to the trend for those who discovered such artefacts in Chinese tombs to polish them, removing their authenticating patina, before returning them to the grave to be photographed, so as to propagate the myth that they were unearthed in unblemished condition.

A pair of ceramic mounted hunters, each modelled with semi-naturalistic anatomical detailing standing on rectangular bases, and extensive remains of painted pigmentation: one horse with a cropped mane, painted bridle, harness and decorative saddlecloth, prey animal slung behind saddle, rider in the saddle leaning forwards with one arm raised, hand in a gripping position forming a socket to accept a weapon or other object; one horse ornately caparisoned and with a flowing mane, a hunting hound straddling the horse in front of the mounted rider. 7.7 kg total, 39 cm high

Fine condition.

Acquired 1990s. West Country, UK, collection. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report sample no.C122f85, from Oxford Authentication for one figure. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11364-193072.

Since ancient times, “Lari Festival” has been a festival to offer sacrifice to various gods at the end of the year. In the Tang Dynasty, it was a custom to hunt this day, which was not only meant to meet the demand for sacrifice, but also to reveal the hunting loving warrior spirit then. In the poem titled Hunting On Lari Festival, Yao He in the mid and late periods of the Tang Dynasty also mentioned one of his collective hunting events to meet the demand for sacrifice on that festival when he was governor of Jin Zhou. Emperor Xianzong was very much astounded at such slaughters of foxes and hares and observed, "Every Lari Festival recent years, I heard some prefectures and counties, to take something to the capital, catch and raise foxes and hares to serve as tributes” (Complete Tang Proses,Vol. 60); therefore he issued the Fox & Hare Hunting Forbidding Decree.