HADLEY, Mass. – Collecting ancient Chinese jades has long been considered one of the most difficult fields of knowledge to master. On Nov. 5, Asian Antiques Gallery will showcase the specialty with the online-only auction of an important collection of jades: the Percy B. Smith Jr. collection.

Online bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, where browsers and prospective bidders will find a catalog rich with quality photographs and excellent descriptions. All 230 lots will be offered unreserved with realistic starting bids.

The range of ancient jades cataloged for this sale is described as “exceptional” by Asian Antiques Gallery’s principal Robert Henry Cornell. “From Neolithic examples that often feature owl or other bird images through the ritual jades of the Shang and Zhou periods, and intricate sinuous dragons of the late Zhou and Han periods, a wide selection is represented at this sale,” Cornell said.

Many of the jades in the collection are deemed to be “archaistic” – that is, of the same style and general workmanship as the ancient, but made at later periods to honor the great traditions of the past.

“Thus during the Ming and Qing periods of the past 600 years, quality pieces were carved for collectors – not to deceive but to give them an example of ancient-style craftsmanship and imagery that they otherwise could not obtain,” Cornell said.

In the catalog listings, these later pieces are clearly distinguished from the true ancient examples.

Cornell, who cataloged the collection, has studied the field since 1968. He has traveled to mainland China 43 times, visited countless museums and galleries and bought several shelves of books on the subject.

Percy B. Smith Jr. was a resident of California during most of his adult life and counted amongst his friends such luminaries as Bing Crosby, Errol Flynn and Elizabeth Taylor. He traveled extensively to build his holdings and died in 1984. Proceeds from the sale of his collection will go toward the Building Fund of the World Peace Foundation of Hadley, Mass., which is sponsoring the event.

The Nov. 5 online-only auction will commence at 6 p.m. Eastern time.

For additional information on any item in the auction, call 413-582-0032.

To view the fully illustrated catalog or place an absentee bid, visit www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

 

View the fully illustrated catalog and register to bid absentee or live via the Internet as the sale is taking place by logging on to www.LiveAuctioneers.com.

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ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE

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