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Jades
are extremely hard stones (6.5 to 7.0). They were shaped and carved
using ropes and bamboo with grains of sand. The piece was coated with
sand which was rubbed back and forth with the rope or bamboo to slowly
wear away the stone. A single piece could take months to produce.
Today, modern diamond tipped tools, drills, and grinders make the job
much quicker. The art of Jade carving has been in existence in China
since 3500 BC. The most famous Jade works were produced in Suzhou, which
still produces some of the finest Jade and Stone carvings in the world.
Nephrite Jade, that was used by the Chinese, came from East Turkistan.
Throughout history, China has gained and lost control of that region
which had greatly affected the supply and quality available to the
craftsmen.
During the periods of low supply, smaller pieces were produced.
Craftsmen were required to produce Snuff Bottles using very low quality
Jade, much of which had off-color inclusions. These inclusions were
frequently worked into the design of the piece. Many of these low-grade
pieces are extremely valuable today.
Jade ranges in color from pure white to black and pale yellow to dark
green. It has a very creamy appearance and has always been considered
more valuable in Chinese society than any other substance. Jadeite is
very similar to Jade in appearance, however it is a completely different
substance. It is harder, more translucent and has a crystalline
structure. Jadeite is found in all the colors of Jade, but also in
shades of purple and blue. Most of the Jadeite used in China comes from
Burma.
Most of the products listed here have different sizes,
colors or other styles available. Please click on the
thumbnail picture of your selection to view a larger image
and see the additional attributes. Enjoy
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