An archaic jade bird, Late Shang / Zhou dynasty | 商末 / 周 玉鳥

Collection of David Taylor (1876-1958).

David Taylor (1876-1958) 收藏

David Taylor (1876-1958) was a Scottish businessman based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He traveled extensively in East Asia in the early 20th century, when these jades are said to have been acquired.

The style of the jade bird is similar to one from the tomb of Fu Hao, on display at the National Museum of China. See also another closely related late Shang dynasty jade bird, said to have been discovered at Anyang, in the National Museum of Asian Art (accession no. S1987.590), illustrated in Archaic Chinese Jades: Special Exhibition, the University Museum, Philadelphia, 1940, cat. no. 101.