The Awl-Shaped Jade is a major category of Liangzhu Culture Shapes. This was thought to be arrow or spear heads as in several tombs,these awl-shaped Jades were found in the vicinity of the back of the skeleton's head. Of course these Jade Arrows/Spears would have been of a ceremonial or symbolic purpose.
This particular Awl-shape Jade(Nephrite) is of a variegated creamy white and orange hue,somewhat similar to 'clay',but in areas where it is still translucent,it cannot be scratched by a stainless steel knife,verifying that it is Nephrite(Moh's Hardness 6.5,stainless steel knife 6.0).
The design is four sided,with two columns of faces,a simplified on top and a more complex with concaved eyes at bottom, aligning to a stub at end with hole drilled for attachment. This Awl-shape Jade is well sculptured and Nature's enhancement gives a very pleasing patina. All in all,an excellent specimen of Awl-shaped Liangzhu Jade,the majority are without the 'face' decoration.
To learn more about Jade ,please visit the Friend's of Jade website,given in the links
Antique and Antique Collecting
Antiques have always lured those with a passion for the past and its cultural significance. Antique collecting though is a serious hobby which requires the hobbyist to posses a great deal of information on the history and other correlating facts if they are to land a reasonable purchase. Most often if not antiques make their way into the mainstream market via simple garage sales, auction houses etc. wherein the owner would have overlooked the significance of these precious collectables.
A reflection and testimony of the glorious past, Antiques are undoubtedly rare. Perhaps that is why Antiques have been collected and preserved for over thousands of years as a souvenir and tribute to what has been and gone. After all, those heard are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter!
Antique collecting has been in the books since the 16th century, gaining momentum through the 18th century to grow into what is now a healthy international business thats on par with the art industry. Some individuals prefer to collect antiques from a specific era, while most are into specific objects and aim at a timeline based collection such as vintage cars or clocks from the 1950s for example. The purchase of antiques is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the effort that goes into their maintenance. Most objects would be anywhere in the range of 50 to 100 years old. The biggest culprit to an antiques degradation is exposure to natural elements, even the air in most cases!
Over the years, antique collecting has taken another curious twist as certain home décor trends these days reflect on a retro feel. For this reason a lot of long lost furniture and clothing styles from half a century ago have found their way back into the current world with small changes that help them amalgamate into the 21st century. This trend of commercially viable antiques has had a negative impact on the market as replicas of famous antiques have been making the rounds and authenticity issues are far too common. Examples for the same would be pendulum clocks, bone china and the 1970 – 1979 contemporary modern furniture.
When it comes to venturing towards a purchase, its best for an individual to take assistance from the nearest antique dealer organization as it would guarantee both its authenticity as well as cover any legalities. Most often the replica market supplies the same antiques at a much lower price and the buyer could suffer serious repercussions on purchasing from such sources as these pieces are not officially accounted for. Antique collecting needs to be met with diligence and maturity in order to successfully sustain the past in the present.
