TANG DYNASTY
Carved in white jade, the upper corners of this flat comb handle are curved while the lower section has been mortised for the inlaying of comb teeth. Both sides have been styled with near-identical decorative carvings in sunken relief, while the edges have been raised on each side to form a frame. Inside the frame stand three flowered branches in low-relief, their petals uniquely raised on the edges with small depressions in the center, which brings the many flowers and branches into vivid complexity. Overall, the piece exhibits a classic Tang Dynasty carving style. L: 11 cm
The Palace Museum in Beijing has a similar piece in its collection (Tang Dynasty comb handle); please see: Zhang, Guangwen ed., Jadeware (Chinese), Hong Kong: Commercial Press, 1995, p. 17.