A RARE SET OF SIXTEEN CHINESE CELADON AND RUSSET JADE ‘MUSICIANS AND DANCERS’ BELT PLAQUES

A RARE SET OF SIXTEEN CHINESE CELADON AND RUSSET JADE ‘MUSICIANS AND DANCERS’ BELT PLAQUES
Please note the dating for this lot should read this lot should read Tang dynasty or later

The set comprises two larger, rounded-corner plaques, four square plaques and ten smaller rounded plaques with flat bases; the plaque of each top face is intricately carved in low relief with either a dancer, a musician or a figure offering tributes, all from Central Asia; all within elaborate border designs and ribbons, the material is of a greyish-celadon tone with extensive areas of russet, each plaque is pierced to the reverse with pairs of small holes for attachment, 7.1cm and 4.5cm. (16)

Provenance: from the collection of David Taylor (1876-1958) and thence by descent. David Taylor was a successful businessman of Scottish descent who was born in Northern Ireland. He resided in Belfast and owned various commercial buildings, shops and a farm. He also had a substantial portfolio of stocks and shares. These jade items were acquired by Taylor during his travels to East Asia in the early 20th century.

Jade from Khotan in the Tarim basin was plentiful during the Tang dynasty, the stone was fashioned into ornaments such as women’s comb tops and decorative plaques for belts worn by senior officials. Plaques depicting foreigners became a particularly popular theme during the Tang, and similar designs can be found in belts made from other materials such as agate. Cf. J Rawson and J Ayers, Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages, pl.222, where a set of nine agate belt plaques in the British Museum are illustrated.

Two pale celadon jade sets of belt plaques were unearthed from Hejia village in Xi'an. One set comprises sixteen plaques carved with foreign musicians and the other with fifteen plaques with animals; these are illustrated in Zhongguo Meishu Quanji, (Treasures of Chinese Arts and Crafts), pls.219 and 220.

A closely related set of nine square and one oblong Tang dynasty belt plaques is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in gallery 207, the gift of Charlotte and John Weber, 1992, Accession no.1992.165.22a–j, see also The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jade(II), Hong Kong, p.25-27, nos.22-24 for closely realated plaques.

唐 青玉雕胡人紋帶板 一組十六件
來源：大維德·泰勒（1876-1958）收藏，之後由其後人繼承。泰勒先生是一位成功的蘇格蘭商人。他出生於北愛爾蘭，在貝爾法斯特長大，其名下有很多商務樓、店面、農場及可觀的股票投資組合。這組拍品為泰勒先生早於二十世紀初期到東亞旅行時購入。