Scu, China, carving, jade

Pale, greenish brown-white jade, variegated with brownish markings and striations. A tall cup of oval section tapering towards the bottom and thee curled round into a solid, slender, ribber 'tail' rising at the side of the cup to form a loop handle, and joined to it by bracket scrolls in two places; the whole supported below on three small claw-like feet. When inverted, the bottom of the cup resembles an animal head with snout and two ears. The surface is decorated with anarchaistic incised designs in late Zhou to Han style. Below the rim (which has been subsequently trimmed down, probably on account of damage) is a band of confronted, addorsed or adjacent C-scroll motives and below this on either side of the front are two phoenix-like birds with complex scrolling tails, on a ground of lightly-incised scrollwork. Bird heads also provide a continuation of the tail-like handle below. At the front just below the rim is a drilled blind hole possibly intended to take a metal mount, or fixing perhaps for a cover. The top was trimmed down, perhaps also the handle.

Purchase from the R. Dannhorn collection

This cup is tall but tapers towards the base. Cups of this shape were probably inspired by cups made out of goat's horn. Goat's horn cups were foreign objects brought to China along the Silk Route. Their unusual shape prompted Chinese craftsmen to make imitations in jade.

FE.46-1976