China, c. 5th century BC to 2nd century AD. Comprising a sword guard of lozenge form, each side neatly carved and incised with a taotie mask, the stone of a celadon tone with opaque calcification; and a heart-shaped sword guard well carved with six raised C-scrolls centered by a dot, the translucent stone of a pale celadon tone with creamy white patches and minor russet and gray inclusions. Each with an oval aperture pierced through the center. (2)

Provenance:
The lozenge form sword guard: Formerly part of an important collection of archaic Chinese bronzes, built by three generations of the Chasseloupe-Laubat family in France. One side with an old collector's number '45'. Prosper de Chasseloup-Laubat (1805-1873), was a prominent aristocrat, politician, and art collector who became Minister of the French Navy and the Colonies under Napoleon III, traveling extensively through all of Asia. His son Louis (1863-1954), an engineer in ship design, significantly expanded the family collection, also during his frequent travels throughout Asia. François (1904-1968), Prosper's grandson, eventually inherited the family passion and became a renowned explorer and participant in the Hoggar Expedition. He was the first French explorer to reach English Malaysia, bringing back previously unpublished documents on the isolated Sakai tribes. As a collector, François Chasseloupe-Laubat was advised by Jean Claude Moreau-Gobard, an important French collector and dealer specializing in Asian art.

The heart-shaped sword guard: From a private collection in the United Kingdom, by repute acquired at Christie's London. With an old collector's label, '4'.

Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, nibbling, and light surface scratches.

French Export License: Certificat d'exportation pour un bien culturel Nr. 243196 dated 3 October 2023 has been granted for the taotie sword guard. A copy of the document accompanies this lot.

Weight: 11.2 g and 14.4 g
Dimensions: Length 4.5 cm and 3.9 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related jade sword guard, Eastern Zhou dynasty, Warring States period, in the National Museum of Art, accession number S2012.9.1201. Compare a closely related jade sword guard, dated Eastern Zhou to Western Han dynasty, in the National Museum of Art, accession number S1987.855.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 3 August 2023, lot 3015
Price: HKD 53,340 or approx. EUR 6,300 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A pale celadon jade 'mask' sword guard, Western Han dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related lozenge form, taotie decoration, and pale celadon color of the jade. Note the size (5.7 cm) and that the lot comprises only one sword guard.