AN ARCHAISTIC SPINACH-GREEN JADE ‘TAOTIE’ BANGLE, LATE MING DYNASTYChina, 16th - early 17th century. Well carved in low relief around the exterior sides with a continuous design of five taotie masks framed by horizontal and vertical key-fret borders. The opaque stone of a dark green tone with gray veins and icy inclusions.Provenance: The personal collection of Robert Rousset, acquired before 1935. Thence by descent to Jean-Pierre Rousset. The interior sides with an old label, ‘327’. Robert Rousset was a former French radio officer in the merchant navy, who became one of the most prominent pioneers of the Chinese art market in Paris. As a child, his father, an insurance agent, would take him to Hôtel Drouot where he started to buy at a very young age. His true passion for Asian art started in the 1920s, when he was sent on a mission to Beijing after the decline of the Qing empire, along with Osvald Sirén, the famous Swedish Asian art historian and connoisseur. He then became one of the main contributors of Chinese antiques for thepagnie de la Chine et des Indes, founded in Paris in the early 20th century by the Blazy brothers. After the 1929 stock market crash, he had the opportunity to acquire thepany. With his sister Suzanne in charge of the porcelain, they developed the business and became one of the most important dealers in France, selling pieces to the greatest museums, including the Musée Guimet and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.Condition: Excellent condition with some old wear, natural inclusions, and microscopic nicks here and there. Good, unctuous feel overall.Weight: 120.6 gDimensions: Diameter 8.3 cmAuction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie’s New York, 21 March 2013, lot 813Price: USD 8,750 or approx.EUR 10,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A greenish-yellow and brown jade bangle, Ming dynastyExpert remark:pare the closely related form, manner of carving with similar key-frets, and size (8.3 cm).明末碧玉饕餮紋手鐲中國，十六至十七世紀初。外壁淺浮雕五個饕餮紋，深綠色不透明石料，帶有灰色紋理和內沁。