A PALE CELADON JADE THUMB RING, SHE LATE WARRING STATES PERIOD – EARLY WESTERN HAN DYNASTY

of flattened oval form with a pointy top and a projecting lug on one side in the form of a simplified dragon head, the smoothly polished stone of an even colour

The thumbring is in good condition. There is expected insignificant nibbling along the edges, the largest a tiny nick to the tip of the lug. The upper tip of the thumbring has been pierced above a tiny area of possible light polish. The catalogue illustration is slightly warmer than the actual colour of the stone.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The she was an implement for archers on horseback, used to protect the thumb when drawing the bow and pulling the bowstring. The earliest she discovered by archaeologists is the one from the tomb of Fuhao in the Waste of Yin at Anyang, cylindrical in shape with a hole in the centre, used as a cover for the thumb. By the Eastern Zhou this developed into a she used for the forefinger, the shape more solidly three-dimensional and the hole in which the finger is inserted slanted tongue-like to contain the hooked finger, with at one side a trigger on which to hook the string; see Xu Rucong, ‘Chushe [Archer’s Rings of Chu]’, Jianghan kaogu [Jianghan Archaeology] 5 (2014), pp. 46-62.  Beginning with the Western Han, jade archer rings gradually developed into archer ring-shaped pendants, shapes thin and flat, centre holes deformed and reduced in size, and peripheries engraved with much decoration - gradually changing from something of practical use to ornamental objects hung at the waist.

Compare a similar jade archer ring unearthed from the tomb of the Warring States Marquis Yi of Zeng in Sui County, Hubei, illustrated in Gu Fang, Zhongguo chutu yuqi quanji [The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China], vol. 10, Beijing, 2005, p. 98. However, the trigger hook part of this jade archer ring seems more ornamental, and the whole shape tends to be thinner and flatter, which would indicate a later dating.