| There are some jade and stones that we know | | | | of value in the cure of diseases affecting |
| very less about them. The natives of New | | | | the kidney. |
| Zealand sometimes use these stones for making | | | | |
| figures of human and even articles like | | | | Ancient jade objects of various shapes were |
| axe-head. These stones had never failed to | | | | used for ceremonial purposes and many of them |
| surprise and delight the craftsmen and | | | | have been excavated in modern times. They |
| collectors alike. | | | | have received much attention from scholars |
| | | | and are rarely to be seen outside museums. |
| Jade and other stones | | | | The Chinese jade that is most likely to be |
| | | | found by the collector is seldom older than |
| STONES from comparatively hard jade to the | | | | the eighteenth century. Being a hard stone it |
| aptly named soapstone have always presented a | | | | acquires few signs of wear, and with the |
| challenge to the craftsman. Whenever they | | | | Chinese habit of copying the designs of |
| were to be found in suitable size and shape | | | | earlier days it is not easy to determine the |
| it was an invitation to the lapidary to | | | | age of many specimens. Large pieces of |
| attempt to fashion them into works of art. | | | | undoubted age can be very costly, but small |
| The comparison between a rough natural stone | | | | examples of less certain vintage may be found |
| and the result of careful carving and | | | | for no more than a few pounds apiece. |
| polishing never ceases to surprise and | | | | |
| delight the onlooker. The finest specimens | | | | The so-called 'Mogul' jade is usually of a |
| barely indicate the skill and patience that | | | | pale grey-green colour, carved very thinly |
| contributed to their finished form, but a | | | | and often with pierced decoration. Some was |
| brief study will show why the Chinese and | | | | inlaid with gold and precious stones, which |
| others revered jade and why Europeans | | | | seem to acquire an added fire against the |
| attempted to rival rock crystal with glass. | | | | background of the limpid stone. The Mogul |
| | | | jades were made in India, but were esteemed |
| Jade | | | | sufficiently by the Chinese for the Imperial |
| | | | workshops to have a department where work in |
| The Oriental mind has woven a wealth of | | | | this manner was produced. |
| legend into this stone, which varies in | | | | |
| colour from pale grey-green and light | | | | The natives to make axe-heads and ornaments |
| lavender to a deep green that is almost black | | | | used a green nephrite found in New Zealand. |
| in some lights. Geologists into two distinct | | | | Of the latter, the 'Tiki', a |
| types divide it: jadeite and nephrite. The | | | | ferocious-looking distorted human figure, |
| latter is slightly less hard and under a | | | | represents the Maori Creator who 'took red |
| microscope it will be seen that 'in | | | | clay, and kneaded it with his own blood'. |
| cross-section the fibers have cleavage cracks | | | | These pendant talisman are flatly rendered, |
| intersecting, not at approximately 90°, as | | | | and usually about three inches high and one |
| in jadeite, but at 120°, and there are | | | | and a half inches wide. Specimens some nine |
| numerous other differences . . .' However, | | | | inches in height are known but are very rare |
| few, if any, collectors attempt to | | | | when so large, and collectors should beware |
| distinguish between the two, and describe | | | | of modern copies of them in all sizes. |
| them both as jade. | | | | |
| | | | Pieces of these stones nicely carved and |
| The stone is alleged by the Chinese to have | | | | polished can fetch a high price for |
| been forged from a rainbow in order to make | | | | collectors. The beliefs that some of these |
| thunderbolts for the God of Storms, and it is | | | | stones possess magical and curative |
| also the traditional, although surely | | | | properties made them all the more expensive. |
| unpalatable, food of the Taoist genii. By | | | | But their dates are very difficult to verify |
| most of the nations of antiquity it was | | | | because the Chinese often copied from the |
| regarded as possessing magical and curative | | | | past designs making it all the more difficult |
| properties; not only was it looked on also as | | | | to identify. |
| a symbol of virtue, but it was supposed to be | | | | |