12th Mar, 2026 11:00
The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers Part 2
113
AN EXTREMELY RARE AND HIGHLY IMPORTANT JADE ‘BIG DIPPER’ FUNERARY PILLOW, HAN DYNASTY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
€24,000
€50,000
A buyer’s premium of 30.00% (including VAT) applies to the hammer price of this lot if your bid is successful.
Published: Jean-Paul Desroches (ed.) et al, The Beginning of the World. Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera, Fondation Baur, Geneva, 2020, p. 251, 255-256, no. 177.
Exhibited:
1. Fondation Baur, The Beginning of the World – According to the Chinese. Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera, Geneva, 11 November 2020-23 May 2021.
2. Musée Départemental des Arts Asiatiques, The Beginning of the World – According to the Chinese. Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera, Nice, Summer 2021.
China, 202 BC-220 AD. Of rectangular form, constructed using sixty-nine jade plates of various shapes (square, rectangular, triangular, diamond), the headrest centered by a large pale celadon rectangular plaque incised with the image of the Toad of the Moon within the clouds, the reverse with a large dark green plaque pierced with seven apertures to depict the Big Dipper.
Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012.
Condition: Very good condition with ancient wear, natural fissures, small losses, nibbling, and some rubbing to incised decoration. Weathering due to burial conditions, some corrosion, encrustations. Overall with an exceptionally beautiful patina, naturally grown over two millennia.
Weight: 2,454 g
Dimensions: Size 28.8 x 9 x 9.8 cm
The Toad of the Moon is a mythical creature from ancient Chinese folklore, often depicted as a three-legged toad that lives on the moon. It is associated with the moon goddess Chang'e, who is sometimes said to have been transformed into the toad after fleeing to the moon. The toad's presence is used in some myths to explain the changing phases of the moon and was once thought to be responsible for a lunar eclipse.
During the Han dynasty, the Big Dipper was a central celestial symbol in cosmology, calendrical theory, and religion, seen as a celestial compass and the throne of the Supreme Deity. It was crucial for navigation, calendrical functions, and religious practices, including early forms of Daoist ritual that integrated the constellation into beliefs about the cosmos and immortality. Han texts frequently discuss the Dipper's use in daily life and its significant role in divination and cosmic order.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related jade pillow with gold foil, Western Han Dynasty, 28.7 cm long, excavated from the tomb of Liu He at Xuzhou Volcano, and now in the Xuzhou Museum, artifact number 07775. Compare a related jade and lacquered wood coffin, Western Han period, dated 2nd century BC, unearthed from the Tomb of the King of Chu, Shizi Mountain, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, and now in the Xuzhou Museum, accession number EX2017.1.76
Published: Jean-Paul Desroches (ed.) et al, The Beginning of the World. Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera, Fondation Baur, Geneva, 2020, p. 251, 255-256, no. 177.
Exhibited:
1. Fondation Baur, The Beginning of the World – According to the Chinese. Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera, Geneva, 11 November 2020-23 May 2021.
2. Musée Départemental des Arts Asiatiques, The Beginning of the World – According to the Chinese. Dragons, Phoenix and Other Chimera, Nice, Summer 2021.
China, 202 BC-220 AD. Of rectangular form, constructed using sixty-nine jade plates of various shapes (square, rectangular, triangular, diamond), the headrest centered by a large pale celadon rectangular plaque incised with the image of the Toad of the Moon within the clouds, the reverse with a large dark green plaque pierced with seven apertures to depict the Big Dipper.
Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012.
Condition: Very good condition with ancient wear, natural fissures, small losses, nibbling, and some rubbing to incised decoration. Weathering due to burial conditions, some corrosion, encrustations. Overall with an exceptionally beautiful patina, naturally grown over two millennia.
Weight: 2,454 g
Dimensions: Size 28.8 x 9 x 9.8 cm
The Toad of the Moon is a mythical creature from ancient Chinese folklore, often depicted as a three-legged toad that lives on the moon. It is associated with the moon goddess Chang'e, who is sometimes said to have been transformed into the toad after fleeing to the moon. The toad's presence is used in some myths to explain the changing phases of the moon and was once thought to be responsible for a lunar eclipse.
During the Han dynasty, the Big Dipper was a central celestial symbol in cosmology, calendrical theory, and religion, seen as a celestial compass and the throne of the Supreme Deity. It was crucial for navigation, calendrical functions, and religious practices, including early forms of Daoist ritual that integrated the constellation into beliefs about the cosmos and immortality. Han texts frequently discuss the Dipper's use in daily life and its significant role in divination and cosmic order.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related jade pillow with gold foil, Western Han Dynasty, 28.7 cm long, excavated from the tomb of Liu He at Xuzhou Volcano, and now in the Xuzhou Museum, artifact number 07775. Compare a related jade and lacquered wood coffin, Western Han period, dated 2nd century BC, unearthed from the Tomb of the King of Chu, Shizi Mountain, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, and now in the Xuzhou Museum, accession number EX2017.1.76
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Auction: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers Part 2, 12th Mar, 2026
Online Catalog: Jump to the Online Catalog
It is with great pleasure that we present the second part of the Sam and Myrna Myers Collection — an extraordinary ensemble that has traveled across continents and inspired scholars, connoisseurs, and collectors alike. It is, without question, one of the most significant and important collections ever entrusted to this gallery. Learn more.
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