China, c. 2600-2300 BC. Of square section, each corner worked with three registers of stylized animal masks, the four corners divided by gently recessed vertical bands to the center of each side. The originally opaque white jade now of a white, creamy beige and reddish-black tone with numerous dark veins, scattered speckles and russet patches.

Provenance: Daniel Milano, Paris, 2002. Paolo Bertuzzi, acquired from the above. A copy of the original invoice from D. Milano, dated 20 October 2002, describing the present lot as a Jade Cong from the Liangzhu culture, and stating a purchase price of EUR 9,500 or approx. EUR 14,000 (adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022) was a fashion stylist from Bologna, Italy, and the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, founder of Hettabretz, a noted Italian fashion company with customers such as the Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother’s business and designed exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, USA. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than 60 years. His collection includes both archaic and contemporary art, and he edited two important books about Asian art, Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery, about a large-scale archaeological project carried out with the Italian and Indonesian governments, and Majapahit, Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom.
Condition: Condition overall commensurate with age, with extensive weathering, erosion and associated losses, areas of calcification and alteration, smoothened chips, and natural fissures, some of which have developed into cracks over time. Displays magnificently, with the colors of the jade in remarkable natural harmony.

Weight: 230 g
Dimensions: Height 8.2 cm

Expert's note (added 20.2.2023): Compare with a two-tiered cong-form bead published in Liangzhu Wen Hua Yu Qi (see image section). Both examples carved from a very similar pitted, creamy-colored stone with iron and burgundy inclusions.

The present jade displays the distinctive characteristics of cong vessels from the Liangzhu culture, with a square outer section around a circular inner tube, decorated with stylized masks neatly arranged on each of the four corners.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2017, lot 2710
Price: HKD 8,500,000 or approx. EUR 1,138,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An exceedingly rare nine-tiered jade cong, late Liangzhu culture, circa 2600-2300
Expert remark: While this cong is larger (23.5 cm) than the present lot, the stylized masks are less rudimentarily carved. The similar colors of the stone and especially the closely related marks of weathering and erosion indicate that this example and the present lot may have been excavated not far away from each other.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2019, lot 2721
Price: HKD 275,000 or approx. EUR 35,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A fragment of a green jade cong, Liangzhu culture, circa 3300-2300 BC
Expert remark: Compare the related signs of weathering and erosion. Note the smaller size (5.5 cm) and that this cong is only a fragment.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 25 September 2020, lot 1701
Price: USD 8,125 or approx. EUR 9,100 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A mottled opaque jade or hardstone four-tier cong, Neolithic Period, Liangzhu Culture, 3rd millennium BC
Expert remark: Compare the related decoration. Note the slightly larger size (12.8 cm), the related signs of weathering and erosion, and the description of the material as “jade or hardstone”.



良渚文化末期白玉琮
中國，公元前 2600-2300 年。内圓外方筒形禮器，每個角都有獸面紋。不透明的玉料現在呈現出白色、乳白色和紅黑色調，帶有深色紋理、散落的斑點和赤褐色斑塊。

來源：Daniel Milano，Paris，2002年。Paolo Bertuzzi購於上述收藏。隨附D. Milano2002年10月20日出具的賬單複印件，上面描述為良渚文化玉琮，價格為 EUR 9,500，相當於現在的 EUR 14,000 (根據通貨膨脹情況)。Bertuzzi (1943-2022年) 是來自義大利博洛尼亞的時尚造型師。他是 Hettabretz 的創始人 Enrichetta Bertuzzi 的兒子，Hettabretz 是一家著名的義大利時裝公司，客戶包括羅斯柴爾德家族、奧黛麗赫本和伊麗莎白泰勒。Paolo Bertuzzi 後來接手了他母親的生意並設計了獨家作品，其中一些作品在美國紐約大都會博物館服裝學院展出。六十多年來，他還是一位狂熱的古董收藏家。他的收藏包括古代和當代藝術，他編輯了兩本關於亞洲藝術的重要書籍，《Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery》-關於義大利和印度尼西亞政府合作的大規模考古項目，以及《滿者伯夷-來自被遺忘王國的傑作》。
品相：總體狀況良好，大面積風化、侵蝕和缺損，有鈣化和蝕變區域，一些天然裂紋已經隨著時間的推移發展成裂縫。 整體色彩斑駁，與玉石的色彩渾然天成。

重量：230 克
尺寸：高8.2 厘米

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2017年11月29日，lot 2710
價格：HKD 8,500,000（相當於今日EUR 1,138,000）
描述：公元前2600-2300年良渚文化玉琮
專家評論：此琮尺寸較大(23.5 厘米)，雕刻較簡單。相似的玉石顏色，特別是非常相近的風化和侵蝕的痕跡表明，此玉琮和現拍品可能是在距離彼此不遠的地方被挖掘出來的。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2019年11月27日，lot 2721
價格：HKD 275,000（相當於今日EUR 35,500）
描述：公元前3300-2300年良渚文化綠玉琮殘片
專家評論：比較相近的風化和侵蝕的痕跡 。請注意尺寸 (5.5 厘米)較小，且為殘片。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2020年9月25日
價格：USD 8,125（相當於今日EUR 9,100）
描述：公元前三世紀良渚文化新石器時代玉或硬石琮
專家評論：比較相近的裝飾。請注意尺寸 (12.8 厘米)稍大，相近的風化和侵蝕的痕跡， 以及可能是玉或硬石。