Draft catalogue entry (no. 103) for S2012.9.287 for the catalogue of the Singer collection (1970--90); by Louise Fitzgerald Huber
Handle
Shang 商 dynasty, 13th century BCE
Fluorite
Length 14 cm (5½ in)
This handle is notable for its bold carving and exceptional material--a highly translucent, bright green fluorite. Its decor is also unusual, with a different pattern used for each side. On one surface of the handle is a series of twelve evenly spaced chevrons executed in double grooves, while a design of scrolls and eyelike motifs in broad, beveled cuts appears on the opposite side. The surfaces remain unpolished, and one side is scarred by a natural depression. The tip, where the stone deepens in color, is left as an irregular shape.
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