China, 1300-771 BC. Of flattened form, carved as a curved fish with rounded eyes, the long dorsal fin rising along the spine and two smaller fins extending from the belly, the mouth and tail pierced with a circular aperture for suspension. The semi-translucent stone of a pale celadon tone with areas of white calcification.

Provenance: From the collection of Dr. Wou Kiuan. Wou Lien-Pai Museum, coll. no. E.3.21A-H. Dr. Wou Kiuan (1910-1997) was a Chinese diplomat and noted scholar of Chinese art. His father, Wou Lien-Pai (1873-1944), was one the leading political figures of early 20th century China, remembered for his role as speaker and leader of parliament during the turbulent years of the Republican era. Dr. Wou himself embarked on an illustrious career in diplomacy until his retirement in 1952, when he settled in London and devoted the rest of his life to the study of Chinese art. It was no doubt fortuitous that Dr. Wou’s years of collecting coincided with an abundant availability of exceptional Chinese art on the London market. From the mid-1950s to the late 1960s he was able to form a collection of well over 1,000 works that together represented virtually every category of Chinese art. At the heart of Dr. Wou’s drive to collect was a burning desire to preserve the relics of China’s rich historical past scattered across Europe, and to promote Chinese art and culture. It is unclear when Dr. Wou conceived of the idea to create a place to house his collection, but in 1968 he opened the doors to the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, named in honor of his father. Over the years the Museum became a ‘must see’ destination for collectors, academics, and visiting dignitaries, and Dr. Wou would delight in leading his visitors through the galleries, recounting stories of China’s glorious history.
Condition: Very good condition with expected old wear, weathering and small nibbles.

Weight: 11.4 g
Dimensions: Length 8.2 cm

Expert's note (added 20.2.2023): Pendants such as the current lot were almost certainly part of elaborate burial necklaces in the tombs of Shang and Zhou Dynasty elite. See image section for such a necklace on exhibit in the Jade Gallery of the Aurora Museum in Shanghai. It has been speculated that c-form pendants such as the current lot are actually fragments from much older neolithic jades. Being extremely difficult to work, and with the stone so highly valued, broken objects like bi and cong (whether broken intentionally during burial or accidentally), would have been repurposed as pendants and other carvings and reused for centuries. The curved form of this fish pendant is clearly indicative of a neolithic bi disc.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related jade pendant of a fish, late Shang dynasty, 6.2 cm, in the Smithsonian Museum, accession number S1987.473. Also compare a related jade pendant of a fish, late Shang dynasty, 5.9 cm, in the Smithsonian Museum, accession number S1987.634.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 10 September 2019, lot 37
Price: USD 17,500 or approx. EUR 19,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A calcified jade 'fish' pendant, Shang - Western Zhou dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related form, motif, similar color of the jade, and size (8.8 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 November 2020, lot 2772
Price: HKD 250,000 or approx. EUR 31,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A jade fish-form pendant, Western Zhou dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related form, motif, and size (9 cm). Note the different color of the stone.



商末至西周青白玉魚形佩飾
中國，公元前1300-771 年。青白色玉，作一魚，首尾皆向下彎，似呈珮璜之形。圓眼，近魚嘴處和魚尾鑽一小孔用以穿繩繫掛。紋飾簡單而渾樸古趣。

來源：吳權博士收藏；吳蓮伯美術館，館藏編號E.3.21A-H。吳權(1910-1997)博士曾是一位中國外交家以及知名中國藝術收藏家。他的父親吳蓮伯 (1873-1944)先生曾是二十世紀初中國重要政治人物，因在民國動蕩歲月中擔任國會議員及議長而聞名。1952 年，吳博士在外交領域走上了輝煌之路，直到他退休後定居倫敦，並將餘生奉獻給了對中國藝術的研究。毫無疑問，吳權博士多年的收藏，與大量中國藝術珍品現身倫敦藝術市場上時間點相呼應，這無疑是幸運的。從 1950 年代中期到 1960 年代後期，他收集了 1,000 多件藏品，涵蓋了中國藝術的每一個門類。吳博士之所以收藏，其原因主要是爲保護散落歐洲各地的中國文物與推廣中國藝術與文化。尚不清楚吳博士何時想到創建一個美術館來歸置他的收藏的，但在 1968 年，他打開了以他父親的名字命名的 吳蓮伯美術館的大門。多年來，美術館已成為收藏家、學者和來訪政要的必經之地，而吳博士總是很樂意給參觀者介紹美術館，講述中國光輝歷史的故事。
品相：狀況極好，有磨損、風化和小磕損。

重量：11.4 克
尺寸：長 8.2 厘米

文獻比較：
比較一件相近的商代晚期玉魚形佩飾，6.2 厘米，收藏於史密森尼學會，收藏編號S1987.473。比較一件相近的商代晚期玉魚形佩飾，5.9 厘米，收藏於史密森尼學會，收藏編號S1987.634。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2019年9月10日，lot 37
價格：USD 17,500（相當於今日EUR 19,500）
描述：商至西周玉雕魚形珮
專家評論：比較相近的外形、主題、相似的玉石顏色和尺寸(8.8 厘米) 。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2020年11月30日，lot 2772
價格：HKD 250,000（相當於今日EUR 31,000）
描述：西周玉魚形珮
專家評論：比較相近的外形、主題和尺寸(9 厘米)。請注意不同的玉石顏色。