16th Apr, 2026 11:00
TWO-DAY AUCTION: Fine Asian Art, Buddhism and Hinduism
112
AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE ELEVEN-TIERED DARK GREEN JADE CONG, LIANGZHU CULTURE
€7,500
€15,000
A buyer’s premium of 30.00% (including VAT) applies to the hammer price of this lot if your bid is successful.
China, c. 3300-2200 BC. Of cylindrical form with square projections on four corners, each corner carved with raised bands, a longer and a shorter one, dividing the corners into eleven sections.
The opaque stone is of a magnificent deep green color with paler striations and veins.
Provenance: Christie’s London, 7 June 1993, lot 3, mid-estimate GBP 24,000 or approx. EUR 61,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). An important private collection in Germany, acquired from the above, and thence by descent. Held in this collection for the last 33 years. A copy of a Christie’s condition report for the present lot, faxed to the previous owner on 2 June 1993, together with an old photocopy of the Christie’s catalog entry, and some personal notes from the last owner, accompanies this lot.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, with expected ancient wear and inherent natural imperfections, such as inclusions, veins, and small fissures. Distinct traces of weathering and erosion, with signs of prolonged burial. Surface pitting, areas of polishing, and old smoothened chips to the edges. The wood stand with an age crack that has been filled.
Weight: 3.2 kg
Dimensions: Height 30.7 cm (excl. stand)
With an associated wood stand. (2)
Jade cong exceeding twenty centimetres in height, such as the present example, are exceptionally rare. The material alone would have required considerable resources, and the labor involved in carving and finishing such a substantial piece was significant. Objects of this scale were almost certainly reserved for individuals of elevated status and would have been regarded as remarkable in their own time.
The Liangzhu culture and its remarkable jade artifacts came to prominence in the late 1980s, when the discovery of several significant cemeteries brought international attention to the richness of their tomb contents. Since then, a wave of new archaeological findings has dramatically transformed our understanding of this late Neolithic civilization. At the Mojiaoshan site, Chinese archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a vast, walled settlement covering 750 acres. This site, the largest known walled settlement from late Neolithic China, includes palatial foundations, jade workshops, habitation zones, and a sophisticated network of internal waterways.
Distinguished by their quantity, variety, and superb craftsmanship, Liangzhu jades are among the most iconic artifacts in the history of Chinese civilization. Among them, the jade cong stands out as the most emblematic. These objects feature a square exterior surrounding a circular inner hollow, with each corner serving as a vertical axis for the carving of symmetrical mask motifs. Early examples are typically squat and intricately decorated with deities or animal forms. In contrast, later versions are tall and slender, with stylized facial features dominated by prominent eyes and noses.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related Liangzhu twelve-tiered jade cong, 31 cm high, in the Beijing Palace Museum, reference number 故00096000. Compare a closely related Liangzhu eleven-tiered jade cong, 32.2 cm high, in the Beijing Palace Museum, reference number 故00103955.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2023, lot 3784
Price: HKD 4,064,000 or approx. EUR 465,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare green and russet 'human face' jade cong, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture, circa 2500-2000 BC
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and stone. Note the smaller size (21.3 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2023, lot 3768
Price: HKD 2,540,000 or approx. EUR 291,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large archaic mottled jade cong, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and stone. Note the smaller size (23.9 cm).
China, c. 3300-2200 BC. Of cylindrical form with square projections on four corners, each corner carved with raised bands, a longer and a shorter one, dividing the corners into eleven sections.
The opaque stone is of a magnificent deep green color with paler striations and veins.
Provenance: Christie’s London, 7 June 1993, lot 3, mid-estimate GBP 24,000 or approx. EUR 61,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). An important private collection in Germany, acquired from the above, and thence by descent. Held in this collection for the last 33 years. A copy of a Christie’s condition report for the present lot, faxed to the previous owner on 2 June 1993, together with an old photocopy of the Christie’s catalog entry, and some personal notes from the last owner, accompanies this lot.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, with expected ancient wear and inherent natural imperfections, such as inclusions, veins, and small fissures. Distinct traces of weathering and erosion, with signs of prolonged burial. Surface pitting, areas of polishing, and old smoothened chips to the edges. The wood stand with an age crack that has been filled.
Weight: 3.2 kg
Dimensions: Height 30.7 cm (excl. stand)
With an associated wood stand. (2)
Jade cong exceeding twenty centimetres in height, such as the present example, are exceptionally rare. The material alone would have required considerable resources, and the labor involved in carving and finishing such a substantial piece was significant. Objects of this scale were almost certainly reserved for individuals of elevated status and would have been regarded as remarkable in their own time.
The Liangzhu culture and its remarkable jade artifacts came to prominence in the late 1980s, when the discovery of several significant cemeteries brought international attention to the richness of their tomb contents. Since then, a wave of new archaeological findings has dramatically transformed our understanding of this late Neolithic civilization. At the Mojiaoshan site, Chinese archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a vast, walled settlement covering 750 acres. This site, the largest known walled settlement from late Neolithic China, includes palatial foundations, jade workshops, habitation zones, and a sophisticated network of internal waterways.
Distinguished by their quantity, variety, and superb craftsmanship, Liangzhu jades are among the most iconic artifacts in the history of Chinese civilization. Among them, the jade cong stands out as the most emblematic. These objects feature a square exterior surrounding a circular inner hollow, with each corner serving as a vertical axis for the carving of symmetrical mask motifs. Early examples are typically squat and intricately decorated with deities or animal forms. In contrast, later versions are tall and slender, with stylized facial features dominated by prominent eyes and noses.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related Liangzhu twelve-tiered jade cong, 31 cm high, in the Beijing Palace Museum, reference number 故00096000. Compare a closely related Liangzhu eleven-tiered jade cong, 32.2 cm high, in the Beijing Palace Museum, reference number 故00103955.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2023, lot 3784
Price: HKD 4,064,000 or approx. EUR 465,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare green and russet 'human face' jade cong, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture, circa 2500-2000 BC
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and stone. Note the smaller size (21.3 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2023, lot 3768
Price: HKD 2,540,000 or approx. EUR 291,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large archaic mottled jade cong, Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and stone. Note the smaller size (23.9 cm).
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Auction: TWO-DAY AUCTION: Fine Asian Art, Buddhism and Hinduism, 16th Apr, 2026
Galerie Zacke is honored to present a major two-day live auction event, featuring 692 works of art from China, India, Southeast Asia, and beyond.
The highlight is our flagship live auction on Day 1 (lots 1-277), showcasing masterpieces of exceptional rarity and provenance. Among them are a monumental and unique gilt-copper head of Buddha, Tibet, 14th century, from the personal collection of Ulrich von Schroeder; an absolutely perfect green-glazed ‘dragon’ bowl, Kangxi mark and period, from the collection of J. J. Lally; one of the largest ever found jade disks, bi, Qijia culture, 74 cm diameter, authenticated by Dr. Gu Fang, collection of Lord Anthony Jacobs, London; a monumental and highly important Sichuan pottery horse, Han dynasty, at a staggering height of 156 cm and a diagonal of over 200 cm, the largest ever recorded from this group, from the Weisbrod collection and TL tested by Oxford Authentication; and the monumental and highly important ‘Kienzle’ stucco statue of Buddha, Gandhara, circa 3rd–5th century, the largest recorded example of its type, rescued during the Taliban advance in 1994.
Day 2 (lots 278-692) continues with our general auction, offering seasoned collectors and new bidders alike an opportunity to enhance their collections. Learn more.
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