A RARE ARCHAIC JADE CEREMONIAL AXE LATE SHANG / EARLY WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY

in the form of a disc, cut away on both sides with a circular aperture in the center and a longitudinal groove on each side, the edges notched and beveled, the stone of buff color with some pale green areas and traces of cinnabar

Collection of D. David-Weill, Paris.
Sotheby & Co., London, 29th February 1972, lot 34.

Arts de la Chine Ancienne, Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris, 1937, no. 76.

Georges Salles, Arts des la Chine Ancienne, Paris, 1937, cat. no. 76.
Osvald Sirén, A History of Early Chinese Art: The Prehistoric and Pre-Han Periods, vol. I, London, 1929, pl. 73A.

There is a 1/4 inch chip to one of the notches on the side. The tip of one of the points on the side is chipped. There is a 1/4 inch area on the top edge which may have been polished down slightly. There is some very minor nibbling to the edges. The overall condition is very good. The actual color of the piece is slightly less yellow than shown in the illustration.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Compare a related jade axe excavated from the tomb of Fu Hao at Anyang, illustrated in Yinxu Fu Hao mu, Beijing, 1980, pl. 115.2. See also Jessica Rawson, Chinese Jade. From the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, fig. 3, p. 178.