I got these very attractive, tiny pieces of antique jade from old Shanghai many years ago.
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Lao keng or old mine jadeite |
Although amazingly thin, each piece is carved with intricate pattern of coin, flower or knot. The color is an attractive emerald green and is likely to be lao keng or old mine jadeite.
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Coin shaped buttons |
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Carved as flowers |
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Eternal knot |
Each piece is razor thin, the thinness almost like jade
'to airy thinness beat...' . The largest flower measures 2 cm across.
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Razor thin, "like gold to airy thinness beat..." |
I am not sure what function they served in antiquity but I guess it must be to do with ladies accessories, be it hairpin, brooch, coronet or even as inlays for powder/jewellery boxes.
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Jade on the Shells |
For my present pleasure, I stuck them on scallop shells from my favourite sushi place,
Itacho Sushi, to come up with this rustic
Jade on the Shells display.