Ming Dynasty White Jade Hairpin from Law Ming Shek Collection

A Chinese white jade hairpin, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), of…
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A Chinese white jade hairpin, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), of simple unadorned design, with a slightly off-centre finial, carved from fine white jade, 10.5 cm long. Provenance: collection of Law Ming Shek (1899-1940), Hong Kong, and thence by descent, Law Ming Shek (1899-1940) was a wealthy Hong Kong and Canton entrepreneur and merchant, and an avid collector of Chinese books and antique curios, including scholar Art, seals, ink stones, porcelain, and works of calligraphy and painting. His impressive collection registers reveal that he associated and exchanged collectables with such renowned Canton connoisseurs as 'Wong Tse Ching' (a.k.a Wong Siew Chan/Wong Siew chin) (1886-1962) and Luo Yuanjue (1891-1965). The scroll pot offered herein is one of numerous gifts the former bestowed on him. Much of Wong Tse Ching's outstanding collection was later donated, in 1956 and 1999 respectively, to the Guangzhou Municipal, culture bureau and the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

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  • Finial - An architectural decoration, found on the upper parts of of an object. On furniture they are usually found on pediments, canopies and shelf supports. On smaller ceramic or silver items, such as spoons, they may decorate the top of the item itself, or the lid or cover where they provide a useful handle for removal.

    Finials have a variety of shapes and forms. They may be urn-shaped, baluster shaped round or spiral, but usually taper into an upper point. Many real life shapes may also be used as finials, such as pineapples, berries, pinecones, buds, lotus and acorns. Sometimes animals such as a lion are depicted, or fish and dolphins.
  • Ming Dynasty - The Ming Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. It succeeded the Yuan Dynasty and preceded the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, a former Buddhist monk who became a rebel leader and eventually overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, China experienced a period of relative stability and prosperity. The government was centralized and bureaucratic, with the emperor at the top of the hierarchy. The Ming Dynasty is known for its cultural achievements, including the development of porcelain, the invention of movable type printing, and the construction of the Great Wall of China.

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