Carved Jade Vase with Kylin Finial and Dragon Handles

Chinese carved jade vase and cover, of facetted baluster form,…
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Chinese carved jade vase and cover, of facetted baluster form, set with Kylin finial, above twin dragon and drop ring handles, the body carved with phoenix and archaic motifs, in tones of green and brown, standing on a facetted tapering foot, height 20.5 cm

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  • Faceting - Faceting is a technique of removing material from a curved surface, to give a series of flat surfaces but retaining the profile of the original surface.

    The technique is most commonly associated with diamond cutting where the various cuts used such as rose cut and brilliant cut, add life and sparkle to the stone, whilst at the same time removing as little of the stone as possible.

    Faceting by grinding is also used to decorate glass. The stems of many drinking glasses are decorated by cutting a series of flat surfaces on a circular stem, and hollow vessels such as vases may have faceted surfaces.

    In furniture faceting is often applied to legs of tables and chairs, where a circular baluster shaped section is flattened so as to form an octagonal section.
  • Kylin or Qilin - A kylin or qilin is a mythical Chinese animal, dating back to the 5th century with the head of a dragon, the body of a deer and the tail of a lion. It is a regarded as a good omen bringing serenity and prosperity, and is said to appear with the coming or departure of a wise sage or illustrious ruler.

    It is also part of the culture of Korea and Japan.

    As well as being represented in bronze and jade, it is also used as a decorative motif on ceramics.
  • 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.

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