Shamrock Collection
Nine White Jadeite Figures
From Indo-China 14th -19Th Century
Figure One Measurements: 14-1/2″ Height X 12″ Width X 5″ Depth
In this first close-up-showing of nine amazing White Jadeite Figures, originally acquired and shipped home to his mother in 1945 (inherited legally by the present owner who wishes to remain private, as he is of a quiet nature), before departing on a ship from Calcutta the same year by a now deceased former OSS agent working in the Burma theater, we find the oldest of the nine White Jadeite Figures. With the typical “Thai” style dress and the ‘breasted’ Guanyin, we find a very old stylistic piece we would estimate to be from the 14Th-15Th Century. With its large “Ming Dynasty” Style Crown and the general degradation to the original stone (even after re-polishing and re-waxing to hide old damage and repairs), this large Jadeite figure is truly a tour de’ force in this amazing collection. We have been authenticating this collection of Jadeite figures for over six months now, and they had their first display (see partial display) at our Jade Through The Ages show, and also here on Timeless Jade in our article about the show.
In this second photograph of Figure One, we find a tremendous amount of natural degradation to the outside of the original jadeite stone. This first figure was soaked in acetone for approximately two weeks, as it was covered in a thick type of wax (mixed with iron). We had not seen this type of wax before, but we had seen the iron coatings on reproduction chalcedony figures that had been sold on the internet, gold-gilt and made purposefully to look like old, gilded, iron-oxidated pieces. After an extended shooting of the piece with our high pressure water gun (which will put a hole through skin), we found after the initial removal of a great deal of the wax and iron, that this was a truly authentic and restored old Jadeite figure with some slight re-polishing and original degradation, along with a piece of the crown that had come unglued in the acetone. We reattached the broken piece of the crown (as will be seen in a following photograph). After the initial cleaning we felt it best to leave the rest of the coating on until further research as to its history and origin could be accomplished. One thing was fairly certain; the old wax was probably a bees-wax, as it has a smaller molecule than petroleum waxes. This thick wax has been on for an extended period and was used to hide the breaks and repairs. It had penetrated the naturally degraded jadeite so much that it was initially extremely difficult to remove.
In this third photo of Figure One, we see a close-up of an heavily degraded portion of the jadeite, with only minimal surface re-polishing. Most of the rough white surface area is degradation, and the reddish areas are where the wax and iron are still adhering to the surface. The bottom of the heel of the foot has had some light re-polishing, as have areas around the clothing decoration seen in the top portion of the photograph. The ‘crudeness’ of the initial carving adds to the veracity of its age at a time when jadeite was first being carved in the area of Indo-China, somewhere near present-day Myanmar and Thailand. During the time of World War II, the entire area between China and India was called Indo-China, and the general region of Myanmar, Thailand and the surrounding areas was collectively referred to as Burma. This was years before Burma or Thailand became countries of their own, after the war. All documentation, war records, and notarized statements from family members noting that these figures were in the United States, are available for viewing to qualified Government officials, researchers and marketing personnel. Along with all pertinent war documentation, marketing agreements, and departure documentation, we have scores of photographs of on-site locations showing bombed-out railroad bridges (both wooden and iron), air drops of supplies, officers in many uniforms, de-licing camps, refugee camps, city photographs where the resistance fighters lived, and much more. Anyone wishing to contribute information or assist in our research is asked to write to david@antiquitiesplus.com with qualifications and credentials.
In this fourth photo of Figure One, the original break to the “Ming Dynasty” style crown can be seen on the viewer’s top right. This portion came off in the acetone bath and was re-glued by us. It was a clean break and like almost all the breaks we have found on these jadeite figures (both cleaned and left as they were when we received them), they were most likely due to hurried removal and transportation as the Japanese forces were invading the area. Some slightly re-cut ‘hair’ lines can be seen in the above photograph, while at the top of the hair we find original tooling marks and natural degradation to the stone. While some people who have viewed the pieces believe they could be from Chinese Ancestral Temples (as the Chinese were known to have been in this area long ago), at the present, we believe they follow the family oral history passed along from the young OSS officer that they were Temple Shine figures from somewhere around the present-day River Kwai area which borders both Myanmar and Thailand. The family story has it that they were given to the young OSS officer when the resistance fighters got to their air-dropped supplies, before the Japanese could intercept them. While there are many Temple caves throughout the entire large area encompassed in this ‘war theater’, it is a known fact that the Japanese had gun emplacements in the Sacred temples along the River Kwai area. This does not necessarily mean for certain that they came from that area, and is the reason why we are trying to research the original photographs we have in our possession. This has been proving difficult due to the current strife in Thailand, and we have yet to receive an official response back to inquiries to their National archives. However, the natural degradation found on all the figures (the greater the age, the more the degradation) lends itself to a cave temple theory, as the leaching waters over the jadeite would be the most likely cause for the degradation found on the figures thus far.
Figure Two Measurements: 10-3/4″ Height X 12-1/4″ Width X 7-3/4″ Depth
In this first photo of Figure Two, we can definitely start to see the more “Chinese” influence that will follow in the remainder of the Figures. However, when showing them to a third-generation carver from the Myanmar area who attended our last Jade Through The Ages Show, she said the models for all the figures’ faces were, in her opinion, not Chinese, but rather that of the original local populace. Having taken these photographs in the position in which they are currently being shown, they are a bit out of ‘sync’ stylistically, as we would put this figure more towards the middle age group of the collective group. Still with heavy degradation after being initially cleaned, we find this particular figure more in style with the later part of the 15Th-16Th century, in terms of design. The fact that all the figures were built at different times is not in doubt at the present, as the stylistic changes bear this out, and some appear to even have been modeled after earlier ones.
In this second photo of Figure Two, we find portions of the old wax with iron still adhering to the hair, and especially to the base portion of the sculpture. Some of the cracks to the original jadeite figures appear to be older, and were perhaps caused from rocks falling inside a cave temple over the many years these pieces were worshipped. Some of the damage (as in the next photograph) was almost certainly caused by the hurried removal form their resting places, as would occur in times of war.
In this third photograph of the bottom of Figure Two, we see some of the major chipping to the jadeite from when it was forcibly removed from the spot where it had been secured. This photo is just a portion of the bottom, and many more areas of major chipping are to be found from the prying-off of the figure from its previous resting place. The ‘iron red’ on the bottom is still part of the wax and iron that was used to ‘cover’ these chipped-off areas. These areas proved to be a great place for us to identify the stone under microscopic conditions, and what was found was the extremely tight graining common to the finest of jadeites, and indeed all of the figures proved to be the purest jadeite we have ever tested. With no impurities to color and affect the stone, the heat- and cold-resistance measured was the highest ever registered for Burmese jadeite. It was in these areas of freshly chipped jadeite, with no waxes or oils to effect the testing, that we received the highest readings. We would welcome any unconvinced gem laboratories to test these stones, as their weight, feel, and density will bear out these conclusions.
Figure Three Measurements: 18-1/4″ Height X 11-1/2″ Width X 3-1/2″ Depth
In this third White Jadeite Figure, we are seeing what we believe to be one of the oldest “Chinese style” figures in the grouping. While showing a flowing Guanyin very typical of later Qing Dynasty styles with its overall design, the lack of depth and piercing would lead us to believe a more early 15Th-16Th Century dating is possible. From the three-clawed dragon at her feet to the details seen in the following pictures, we believe the dating should stand fairly firmly. However, in all fairness to its original creator, we are much more versed in Chinese design than in the design features from the Indo-China area.
In this second photograph, of the rear of Figure Three, we can see the lack of piercing; piercing is a design element that would be expected in a later piece. While the above figure and its accompanying subjects are showing detail, they lack the more refined detail of the later pieces in the grouping. That, coupled with the fact the degradation is much greater even on the re-polished surface, leads us to further suspect an earlier dating. This figure was only partially cleaned in the aforementioned manner, and much of the iron-rich wax still adheres in the crevices of the figure, and especially in the area of the waves and lotus blossom on the bottom.
The sweet serenity of the face in Figure Three can easily be seen in the above photograph, as special attention was given to the facial area on this piece. Some parts of the rest of the carving were not given this degree of original detail. Most of the white residue in this photo is the old wax, still adhering to the degraded surface which has been re-polished. Some of the original wax can still be seen in the frontal hair area, in lines that were never re-cut. Also, as minute specks of gold gilding can be seen under microscopic conditions still adhering on most of the pieces, it is fairly safe to say that these figures were once gold-gilt, and perhaps jewel encrusted, as we have seen a recent replacement jadeite figure on a Thailand Temple website, which was highly ornate, with gold framing and encrusted jewels. It could easily be assumed that any gold gilding was removed from the figures during a time of extreme violence (such as WWII), as it could be more readily turned into cash and food for the starving populace, than the jadeite pieces themselves.
In this fourth photograph of Figure Three, we can see a lightly re-cut, original design in the ‘halo’ around the Guanyin’s face. There are still many areas in this design which appear to have been missed in the re-cutting and re-polishing process. Ming Dynasty period water wave patterns can be observed at the bottom. While these wave patterns have been copied in later periods, we do not believe that is the case with this particular figure.
Here in this fifth photograph of Figure Three, we can clearly see the lack of fine detail in the bottom portion of the piece. This is not the case in what we believe are the later figures. The three clawed water dragon, young boy, lotus flowers and buds, and the vase the Guanyin is holding, are most definitely Chinese motifs. Slight cracking of the jadeite can be seen on the front of the robe in this photo, as well as signs of the old wax still adhering, and degradation to the original stone.
Figure Four Measurements: 17″ Height X 9-3/4″ Width X 5-3/4″ Depth
In this massive White Jadeite Figure Four, we see what is perhaps a middle age piece of the grouping. This magnificent figure is in its original condition as shipped to us, and has not been cleaned in any way. The same type of clear thick wax on the figure tells us that it has most likely seen some re-polishing, with some minor re-cutting work undertaken in the past. Original degradation to the stone has occurred, but this figure is in remarkable condition for its age. As we plan a three-part series of true Macro-lens and microscopic photographs of all the figures (scheduled for this August and September), we will be able to go much more in depth on this wonderful sculpture, as well as on all of the figures, in our usual manner, showing both original and re-tooling marks, natural degradation, and re-polished areas.
Here in this wonderful close up photo of Figure Four, we can see the more rounded style face but with all the typical 16Th-17Th Century Chinese aspects of design and treatments to the hair, crown and Buddhistic flaming ‘halo’ in the background.
With the back of Figure Four being treated in such a plain manner, with no real obvious decoration, we feel it could be an indicator of a transitional piece, and may help date it to the aforementioned 16Th-17Th Century.
Figure Five Measurements: 15-1/4″ Height X 7-1/4″ Width X 3″ Depth
With the design elements in Figure Five we find many of the same virtues we found in Figure Three. Both pieces seem to be of an earlier period, perhaps dating to the same 15Th-16Th Century period. Many of the treatments are the same, such as the low relief, shallow depth, and light piercing of the figure. This figure is in its ‘as delivered’ state with all the waxes still remaining, but without the heavy iron mixed into the waxes, as seen on other figures. Much of the iron staining on this figure appears to be original; however, we will learn more as we go deeper under microscopic conditions. We have decided to leave the rest of the un-cleaned pieces in the condition they are now in, as we know they are all jadeite, and all authentic. We will leave their future owners to decide on just how they would like to see them finished and displayed.
In this beautifully portrayed facial view of Figure Three, we can again see the importance the artist placed on bringing attention to the most vital aspect of the figure – the serenity of the Guanyin. The bamboo in the background is not as well finished as the facial area, which was clearly the focal point.
In the rear view of Figure Five, we again see a rather plain but nicely carved scene of a bamboo grove. Not too deeply carved, and lightly pierced, this treatment and theme will repeat itself in the final figure of the grouping, but in much more detail and with the finer work expected from a later period carving.
Figure Six Measurements: 15″ Height X 4″ Width X 3-1/2″ Depth
In this frontal view of Figure Six, we start to see a later 17Th-18Th Century style of carving with this standing Guanyin Figure. While the piercing is not deep, we have more of the typical ‘total’ treatment to the sculpture, in that the folds of the dress, and indeed the entire figure, is more finely carved in the round. The waxes used on all these figures give the stone a more ‘grey’ look, when in fact the jade stones run in color from a “water” jadeite to “mutton fat” to a white/grey. This will be more clearly seen in the last figure, which is almost entirely cleaned.
With the more rounded facial features, we have been told the modeling was done off of Burma-Thailand faces, and perhaps that is the case. We believe that as we get closer to the figures’ place of origin and the temple or family shine in which they first resided, we will learn much more of who created them and, of course, the surrounding people. With the appearance in this figure of the ‘third eye’, we start to see design element not incorporated in the earlier figures.
The thumb and four fingers on the right hand had been broken and repaired prior to our receipt of Figure Six, and they most definitely were broken off while the figure was here in the US. The only treatment performed on this figure was the re-gluing of these digits, and all waxes and deposits are in ‘as received’ condition. The degradation to the stone from its original surroundings is minimal, and could date this piece even closer to the end of the 18Th Century.
In this rear view of Figure Six, we can again see the sculpture carved more symmetrically in ‘the round’. With attention being on the whole of the sculpture in both design and finish, we would again expect the later dating for this exquisite standing Guanyin. Some re-polishing appears to have taken place, and with the re-waxing, we would expect under further microscopic examination a more detailed look into the tooling techniques used, and then get a better estimation of the time spent in the temple, by comparative analysis with the other, older figures.
Figure Seven Measurements: 8-1/2″ Height X 16″ Width X 4-1/2″ Depth
With this lovely rendition of a reclining Guanyin in Figure Seven, we can again see the advancement in carving techniques over the older pieces in the collection. The depth of the treatment and lack of deep piercing would still lead us to an approximate 17Th-18Th Century dating for this figure. This wonderful sculpture is in “as received” condition, with all of the re-polishing and waxes extremely apparent (as will be seen). The ‘water’ jadeite to ‘mutton fat’ transition of the jadeite (or Yingyu as the Chinese call it) is stunning to view, and very minor old repairs have been noted.
In this close-up of the lower section, under the Guanyin’s necklace and arm, we can easily see the naturally degraded portion (in the white speckling) which was never touched when the figure was re-polished after years of being, most likely, in a cave temple, having water and minerals leaching over the jadeite figure. As with Khotan-Hetian nephrite (and indeed all jades), the stones degrade over time, and natural degradation does not have the same look under microscopic conditions as do acid and heat treatments.
The rear view of Figure Seven shows us the more advanced treatment to the lotus blossom background, and much of the original degradation to the jadeite can be seen here, as it was not as re-polished as was the front of the figure. The red stain in the upper middle is not the iron-wax mix we see on the older figures which were repaired and coated, but rather appears to be some type of natural staining inside the stone. In the coming three-partseries of in-depth articles, we will study this and many more details of the carvings under Macro and microscopic examination and photography.
Figure Eight Measurements: 15″ Height X 10″ Width X 5-1/2″ Depth
With this massive Figure Eight (weighing approximately 35 pounds), we see a treatment stylistically similar to that of Figure Four. The biggest difference, again, is in the depth and the refinement of the carving accomplished by the creator of this magnificent piece. It has remained in “as received” condition, with no cleaning treatments of any kind. With the deeper piercing and finer detail, we place this figure’s dating to approximately the late 18Th century.
In this close-up of the facial area on Figure Eight, we can most definitely see that more attention was paid to all aspects of the carving, including the fiery Buddhistic ‘halo’ around the Guanyin. This figure is the most grey/white of all the white jadeite figures, and shows signs of re-polishing and the same accompanying wax that all the figures have. The lack of deep degradation to the stone also tells us this is a much ‘younger’ figure than most of the others.
In this close-up of the right arm on Figure Eight, we can see an old repair to the wrist area, starting at the top of the bangle and running down toward the palm of the hand. The crack in the thumb area is not a repair, but rather either a natural break in the old stone, or was sustained during removal from its temple setting and subsequent transfer to another area. Under microscopic conditions, this crack does not appear to be new, as evidence of re-polishing efforts are visible on the surface of the crack.
In the overall treatment of the back of Figure Eight, we again see the attention to detail that is much lacking in Figure Four. The use of the natural ‘rind’ of the Jadeite on the mountain upon which the Guanyin is seated is also an indicator of a later carving. Impressive, massive and beautifully executed, this wonderful carving stands as one of the most dynamic figures in the grouping.
Figure Nine Measurements: 14-3/4″ Height X 9-3/4″ Width X 6″ Depth
In Figure Nine, we find the the most advanced carving of the grouping, with deep piercing and the least amount of degradation having occurred to the original white jadeite stone. This was the first of the figures we received to authenticate last December, and it was cleaned twice. The first cleaning involved soaking the figure in acetone for over three weeks, followed by an aggressive shooting with our water sprayer. The second cleaning was a one week soak in acetone, followed by another shooting with our water sprayer. The result is what you see here, an extremely beautifully carved Guanyin, most likely modeled upon Figure Five but with all the refinements we would expect to see in a later carving. Therefore, we would date this last figure to the period of the early 19Th century.
This side view of Figure Nine better shows the depth of both the carving and the piercing, while retaining the similar subject matter of Figure Five. This piece has been the most microscopically studied of all the figures, to date, and even after its aggressive cleanings, it retains traces of the original gold gilding, still adhered to the re-cut and re-polished jadeite. Under microscopic conditions, the minute remaining gold shows up extremely well, as does evidence that the figure was re-polished long ago. All the original fine carving lines were left untouched by the person who was responsible for its re-polishing, which leaves us with totally clean, original tooling marks that degraded naturally, and were either never worn away or degraded enough to need re-cutting. It is in these original, degraded tooling marks that we can best date the piece, as they are pitted from natural degradation and have never been re-touched. This shows us that time, weathering, and natural degradation wore at the original tooling marks, with absolutely no signs of re-cutting observed under high magnification.
In this rear view of Figure Nine, we again see the natural ‘rind’ of the jadeite being used as structure in the motif, and the much finer detail of the bamboo forest behind the Guanyin. These are all signs of a later date carving, but with the aforementioned degradation to the original tooling marks, we know it is not a ‘modern’ piece, by any means. What we have in these nine wonderful figures is a natural and lengthy progression of artistic representations of Buddhistic art unlike any we have ever seen in person or in print. Hidden away from public view for over 65 years, in boxes, basements, barns and under houses, it must certainly be time for their reappearence, and to once again take their place in a most Sacred and important manner.
Addendum: Dated 9-19-2010
With this new information received through the Freedom Of Information Act, we can now place with certainty Sgt. Young in the Southern Thailand – Siam area of operations. We hope the following information will help those who are doing research on the project, and we feel we now have fairly conclusive proof this man was, and should be, considered a true American hero, who helped all of the people of the region – including all mentioned in the letters, and the thousands of Chinese people who had been revered artisans and guests of the King of Siam since the Ming Dynasty period. During World War II, many Chinese were in the POW and forced labor camps also, and fought with the resistance during the war. As we now believe these marvelous figures could have been part of a Chinese Cave Temple Shine, it may help us in our search to assist the current owner of the collection in his desire to have the pieces returned to their rightful temple, whether Thai or Chinese.
We do not feel that the man described in these official documents was a thief of artifacts, but rather, a hero who was given gifts of appreciation from those he helped so much (as was passed down in the oral family history). Many entire families in the area of operations could literally owe their continued existence to this man, and if any grudges are currently harbored, they would certainly not be the grudges of the ancestors to whom these pieces belonged at one time. These are truly remarkable treasures with a unique history of their own, and should be revered for the sacred and unique objets d’art that they are.
Also, due to my current work load, a new major discovery we believe we have made in world of jade (being explained in current articles and future articles), my up-coming speaking engagement at the Big Sur Jade Festival, and being in the process of trying to heal two broken ribs, we are presently a bit behind schedule, but will get to the microscopic examination of these nine wonderful jadeite figures later this year. For those helping now with the research on these figures, we thank you all with utmost sincerity.
Please Note: We are the contracted, legal and only representatives of the Shamrock collection of Jadeite, Jade and other artifacts of the Orient. Anyone representing the pieces above does not have ANY authority from either the owner of the collection, or from us!
David Fredericks — Yulongwei
Timeless Jade
Timeless Artifact
