CHINA QING DYNASTY 19th CENTURY CRAB AMULET CARVED IN NEPHRITE WHITE JADEITE

CARVED CRAB AMULET FROM THE QING DYNASTY (1644-1911).

AN ANTIQUE PORTABLE AMULET SCULPTURE OF A CRAB. CREATED DURING THE CHINESE, QING DYNASTY (1644-1911) PERIOD, Circa MIDDLE OF 19th CENTURY. IT WAS HAND CARVED FROM NATURAL TRANSLUCENT NEPHRITE WHITE JADE SHOWING THE THREE DIMENSIONAL FIGURE OF A CRAB. 

BEAUTIFULLY CARVED WITH INTRICATE DETAILS AND SUITED WITH A PAIR OF TINY HOLES TO WEAR INTO A CORD OR JUST TO CARRY ON, IN A POCKET. 

THIS LITTLE CARVED SCULPTURE, HAVE A TOTAL WEIGHT OF 26.3 Grams (131.5 Carats) AND A MEASURES OF 45.1 BY 29.3 BY 14.2 mm (1.78 x 1.15 x 0.56 Inches).

IN CHINA, THE WORD FOR CRAB AND THE CHINESE WORD FOR HARMONYARE BOTH PRONOUNCED XIE. THE CRAB SYMBOL IS SOMETIMES USED ON CHARMS WHICH EXPRESS A DESIRE FOR PEACE SUCH AS THE LARGE TIAN XIA TAI PING CHARM SHOWN AT PEACE COINS AND CHARMS. INADDITION TO SELF-PROTECTION AND DEFENSE, CRABS SYMBOLIZE EMOTIONS, TRUST, AND THE CYCLICAL NATURE OF LIFE. AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES, CRABS DUMP ONE SHELL IN EXCHANGE FOR ANOTHER, REPRESENTING A POINT OF REBIRTH IN THEIR LIFE CYCLE.

PROVENANCE: A PRIVATE COLLECTION IN NEW YORK CITY COLLECTED IN THE 1964; T.K. ASIAN ANTIQUITIES GALLERY, WILLIAMSBURG VIRGINIA; A PRIVATE COLLECTION IN PALM BEACH FL; THEN PURCHASED BY JAMES & NANCY MARKELL, VIRGINIA 1976; THEN BY DESCENT TO LAUREN MARKLAND, FORT LAUDERDALE, FL.; ACQUIRED IN PALM BEACH, FL. IN MARCH 7, 2021.

THIS PIECE OF JADE, IS IN PERFECT CONDITION, WITH GREAT TRANSLUCENCE  AND WITH VERY SMOOTH SURFACE.

INVENTORY REF: P0000SRZJ/.1111