Chinese Jade Investment and Appreciation (Color Illustrations Edition) (Color Illustrations Edition)

Author: Zhou Nanquan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Archaeological evidence confirms that Chinese jade artifacts have a history of nearly 10,000 years, leaving behind countless physical relics. These artifacts serve as tangible evidence for understanding the politics, economy, culture, religious beliefs, and aesthetic tastes of Chinese society in various historical periods. They hold significant historical, artistic, scientific, and economic value, and have garnered high attention and appreciation from the world. With the deepening of China's reform and opening-up, as well as the continuous improvement of social and economic life and cultural standards, especially after the introduction of the new cultural relics law, the popularity of jade collecting among the public has taken off and shows no signs of stopping. Numerous rare and even national-level artifacts have been discovered, rivaling those in national collections. Private jade collections complement and advance alongside state collections. Of course, there are also varying degrees of problems and mistakes in private jade collecting. The purpose of the illustrated book Investment and Appreciation of Chinese Jade Artifacts is to introduce collectors to the knowledge of jade appraisal and guide them toward the correct path of collecting and investment.
For a collector to avoid detours and minimize setbacks in their collecting journey, they should pay attention to the following points: First, as a mature collector, one must adopt a correct mindset when acquiring artifacts. It is absolutely unacceptable to collect jade with illegal or unethical intentions or out of (: opportunistic or dishonest motives). Second, for collectors, the primary requirement is to develop "sharp eyes" before collecting jade, particularly in terms of dating and identifying forgeries of ancient jade. If one has not yet reached this level but finds a much-loved piece they urgently want to invest in, it is best to consult an expert with appraising skills or to treat the beloved "treasure" as a forgery when purchasing it. Even if it turns out to be a mistake, this approach can minimize losses.
Next, while it is normal for collectors to consider investment returns or the appreciation of their collections, it should never be the sole purpose. One must view the endeavor with a forward-looking or long-term perspective. Some collectors skillfully use the method of "cultural jade nurturing culture" () to improve the quality or quantity of their jade collections. Some well-funded collectors pass down their inherited or lifelong-collected ancient jade as family heritage to future generations, with the hope of "treasuring it for generations to come." Others, when circumstances permit, donate all or part of the funds from auctions as acts of charity or to the state, thereby gaining higher honor beyond mere monetary value. Collecting jade becomes endlessly enjoyable when it is not solely for financial gain.
Lastly, there is a puzzling and abnormal phenomenon in the current collecting world regarding the investment of ancient jade: Ming and Qing dynasty jade artifacts are highly marketable and command extremely high prices, whereas ancient jade from before the Ming and Qing dynasties, despite its long history, rarity, and profound cultural significance, fails to fetch corresponding prices. Some collectors express their genuine love for ancient jade, a product of China's profound culture, but they dare not invest due to the difficulty in distinguishing between real and fake high ancient jade. This is likely the most direct cause of the abnormal phenomenon mentioned earlier.
Therefore, as someone with extensive research, appraisal knowledge of ancient jade, and long-term identification experience, it has become our undeniable responsibility to help collectors enhance their understanding of ancient jade appraisal, familiarize them with ancient jade culture, guide them toward the correct direction of collecting and appraisal, and reverse the aforementioned abnormal phenomenon. Sincerely, we hope the publication of the illustrated book Investment and Appreciation of Chinese Jade Artifacts will provide beneficial and effective assistance in solving these issues and offer support to those who love jade.