A RARE GREEN JADE TOOTHED ANIMAL MASK ORNAMENT, LATE HONGSHAN CULTUREChina, c. 4000-3000 BC. The well-polished stone is carved and pierced in the form of an animal mask, decorated with arched brows above circular eyes, and horns which are carved to the top of the curved protruding ears. The details of the face are carefully rendered with thick concave troughs and the bottom of the jade is carved with five teeth. The translucent stone of a deep green tone with russet, dark green, and icy white inclusions.Provenance: French trade. Previously in an old private estate.Condition: Very good condition with old wear, minuscule nibbling. Some distinct areas of dposition and erosion around the edges, as expected from a jade which has been buried for several millennia. Superb naturally grown patina overall.Weight: 91.6 gDimensions: Length 14 cmHongshan ‘toothed’ pendants are characterized by a stylized mask carved in the center and a row of double-pointed protrusions at the bottom that resemble the teeth of an animal: the central mask is flanked on both sides by flattened extensions with a straight incision at the center.Literatureparison:Compare a jade mask ornament with closely related central design, in the collection of the National Palace Museum (acquisition no. gou yu 272) and illustrated in Art in Quest of Heaven and Truth - Chinese Jades through the Ages, Taipei, 2012, pl. 3-3-28.pare also a related jade toothed mask ornament, Hongshan culture, in the collection of the Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art, accession number F1991.52.Auction resultparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2018, lot 2708Price: HKD 1,750,000 or approx.EUR 232,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A very rare celadon jade toothed animal mask ornament, Hongshan culture, circa 4000-3000 BCExpert remark: Note the size (12 cm) andpare the similarly dposed areas along the edgesAuction resultparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2017, lot 2704Price: HKD 10,900,000 or approx.EUR 1,472,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A very rare green jade toothed animal mask ornament, late Hongshan cultureExpert remark:pare the closely related form and color of the jade. Note the slightly larger size (19.6 cm)紅山文化末期罕見青玉帶齒動物面紋飾中國，公元前4000-3000年。青玉表面抛光良好，略帶淺白沁，局部呈現淺褐色。眼部漩渦線條，彎曲突出的耳朵頂部雕刻有角。面部細節厚實，下方一排兩兩相連的尖錐狀牙齒。整體造型古樸。上方有一用於穿繫佩帶的小孔。