Straight chisel (gui 圭)

1. Bought from Lee Van Ching [Li Wenqing] 李文卿, of Shanghai 上海, in New York. For price, see Original Miscellaneous List, p. 249. $300.

2. Original attribution: Chinese. Han 漢. See further, S. I. 1117, Appendix VIII.

3. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Sp. G. is 2.901.

4. (Archibald Gibson Wenley, 1945) Sung [Song] 宋 dynasty. This piece is archaistic rather than archaic. A good example of the work of this period.

5. (Julia K. Murray, 1982) For a general discussion of chisel-shaped jades, see folder sheet F1917.31. Although the designs carved on F1917.28 are archaistic and would not have appeared on an ancient jade chisel, in shape and size, F1917.28 is strikingly similar to a jade chisel found at the Early Shang 商 site at Erh-li-t’ou [Erlitou] 二里頭, Yen-shih [Yanshi] 偃師, Honan [Henan] 河南 (reproduced in Chung-kuo k’e-hsueh-yuan k’ao-ku yen-chiu-suo Erh-li-t’ou kung-tso-tui [Zhongguo kexueyuan kaogu yanjiusuo Erlitou gongzuodui] 中國科學院考古研究所二里頭工作隊, “Ho-nan Yen-shih i-chih 3, 8 ch’u fa-chueh chien-pao [Henan Yanshi Erlitou yizhi 3, 8 qu fajue jianbao] 河南偃師二里頭遺址三、八區發掘簡報,” K'ao‑ku [Kaogu] 考古 1975.5, pl. 9:1). The excavated piece has two complete perforations, where the Freer chisel has one finished hole and another that is only partially drilled on both sides of the slab. The combination of a complete perforation with one that is incomplete is also seen on the Freer chisel F1935.7.

6. (Jeffrey Smith per Stephen Allee, June 24, 2008) Implement added as secondary classification.

7. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, March 15, 2016) Title changed from "Long, narrow chisel-shaped object of the type kuei"  to "Straight chisel (gui 圭)."

8. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, April 21, 2020) Date changed from "960-1279, in the style of a Neolithic model" to "1644-1911, in the style of a Neolithic model."