Simply set with an arch-shaped jadeite cylinder of finely translucent intense emerald green colour, mounted in platinum. Ring size: 5½
Jadeite measuring approximately 21.79 x 12.65 x 3.08mm.
Accompanied by Hong Kong Jade & Stone Laboratory report numbered KJ97933, dated 23 March 2018, stating that the jadeite is natural, known in the trade as 'A Jade'.
Related Article
PLUME FASTENER, A SYMBOL OF POWER AND NOBILITY
Plume fasteners are mostly cylindrical holders intended to mount a peacock feather. Each tube is hollowed out with a hole on one end, which can be fastened or sewn atop the headwear of court officials. At the other end is another aperture to hold a plume. The accessory indicates the wearer’s official rank and is unique to the Qing dynasty. According to the imperial laws of the Qing regime, plume fasteners cannot be worn indiscriminately. Only top-ranking civil officials were authorised to put on jadeite plume fasteners, while their military counterparts wore similar accessories carved from white jade. Peacock plumes fastened on the headwear were status symbols for flaunting one’s power and privileged status.
Plume fasteners were headwear accessories made for the most senior government officials of the Qing dynasty. Exclusive to that
regime, they are extremely rare nowadays. Rarer still are jadeite plume fasteners passed down through the generations. This accounts for the exorbitant prices they fetch.
For some collectors, keeping plume fasteners intact, in entire pieces, is similar to passing on the rich legacy of Chinese culture and history. But there are others who prefer splitting the plume fastener into various portions and pass them to their descendants. These portions can be turned into pendants, earrings and rings, serving as family heirlooms and a form of cultural heritage.
In 2014, a pair of jadeite plaques earrings from plume fastener was sold at HK$7,080,000 at Tiancheng International autumn auction. This season, we are delighted to present another jadeite plaque ring from plume fastener, which has been passed down through successive generations within a family. Highly prized for the translucency and intense green colour, the jadeite reflects the lofty rank held by the first-grade court official who owned the fastener. An important historical provenance, combined with an elegant modern design, underline the exceptionally high collectible value of this lot.