A rare archaistic yellow jade sword slide17th/18th centuryOf rectangular profile with incised C-scrolls across the flat top and a taotie mask that fills the curving tip near the reticulated rectangular loop on the underside, the stone of light greenish-yellow tone. 9.5cm (3 3/4in) long. 注脚十七/十八世紀 仿古紋黃玉劍璏Provenance: Quek Kiok Lee Collection (1921 – 2018), Singapore, and thence by descent來源：新加坡郭克禮（1921 – 2018）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今The archaistic motif on the present lot reflects the scholarly trend of the 'search for evidence' (kaozheng 考證) movement beginning in the early 17th century. Although this movement originated in a renewed scholarly interest in ancient texts and inscriptions on archaic bronzes, as literati sought a more empirical approach to understanding their ancient heritage, it led to a greater fascination for decorative designs adopted from ancient bronzes too. Responding to this wave of archaism which would later be adopted by the imperial court, artisans reproduced the motifs and patterns of ancient bronzes on their jades wares. Although designed as a sword slide, it could easily be used by literati as a stand for ink sticks or as a scroll-weight.