China, c. 4000-3000 BC. Well carved and pierced, the stylized cloud scroll with subsidiary elements protruding from the four corners, pierced with two circular apertures for suspension. The translucent stone of a pale green tone with pale brown shadings and icy inclusions.

Provenance: From the estate of Ivar Björnberg. One side with an old label, ‘91’. Ivar Björnberg (1934-2021) was a noted art director from Stockholm, Sweden. He was friends with Victoria Lindström, a reputed dealer and collector of Chinese art, also based in Stockholm at the time. Björnberg worked at her gallery at a young age and when he eventually started his own collection, she mentored him. His collection was an academic one and it showed his keen eye, discerning taste and great passion for the aesthetics of Chinese art.
Condition: Very good condition with ancient wear, tiny nicks and nibbles here and there, signs of weathering and erosion, the stone with natural inclusions and fissures, some of which may have developed into small hairline cracks over time. Some of the small ‘grooves’ appearing on the surface of this jade may be a result of weathering due to long-time burial, rather than intentional carving.

Weight: 81.5 g
Dimensions: Length 13.2 cm

The Hongshan culture, from which this plaque comes, remained unknown until the 1980s. Centered in northeastern China, it is known for large ceremonial structures built with rocks, graves lined with stone slabs, and distinctively shaped jades that were often the sole goods found in tombs. Judging from the holes on its back and on the top center, this piece may have been an ornament, however, its exact function cannot be deciphered until more archaeological evidence becomes available.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related jade cloud-scroll plaque, 9.8 cm wide, also attributed to the Hongshan culture, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 2009.176.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s London, 4 November 2021, lot 386
Estimate: GBP 25,000 or approx. EUR 32,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A jade 'cloud scroll' pendant, Neolithic period, Hongshan culture
Expert remark: Compare the related form and color of the jade. Note the size (12 cm).



紅山文化青玉勾雲形佩
中國，約西元前 4000-3000年。此器以勾轉型式為主體，週邊突出，從四個角突出輔助拱形部分，形成勾雲形， 頂部穿有圓形孔。 半透明的青玉，赤褐色紋理和陰影以及白色絮狀物。

來源：知名瑞典斯德哥爾摩藝術經銷商Ivar Björnberg (1934-2021)舊藏，一面有舊標籤“91”。他與著名的中國藝術品經銷商和收藏家Victoria Lindström是好友，後者當時也居住在斯德哥爾摩。 Björnberg 年輕時在她的畫廊工作，當他最終開始自己的收藏時，她給了他很多建議。他的收藏是學術性的，顯示了他敏銳的眼光、挑剔的品味和對中國藝術美學的極大熱情。
品相：狀況極好，有磨損，微小的刻痕、風化和侵蝕的跡象，帶有天然內含物和裂縫的石料，其中一些可能隨著時間的推移發展成細小的裂紋。這塊玉石表面出現的一些細小“溝槽”，可能是長期埋藏風化所致，並非刻意雕琢。

重量：81.5 克
尺寸：長13.2 釐米

文獻比較：
比較一件相近的紅山文化風格玉勾雲佩，9.8毫米寬，收藏於大都會藝術博物館，館藏編號2009.176。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦蘇富比，2021年11月4日，lot 386
估價：GBP 25,000（相當於今日EUR 32,000）
描述：新石器時期紅山文化玉勾雲佩
專家評論：比較相近的外形和玉石顏色。請注意尺寸(12毫米)。