Imperial Jade-Handled Knife
Unknown Artist
Medium
Nephrite, white with very faint bluish tint
Dimensions
H. 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm); W. 7/8 in. (2.2 cm); D. 5/8 in. (1.6 cm)
Classification
Jade
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902
Accession Number
02.18.736a, b
Art Historical Context
Behold the **Imperial Jade-Handled Knife a exquisite testament to Qing dynasty craftsmanship from the Qianlong period (6–95). Carved from nephrite jade—renowned in China for its toughness and luminous quality—this handle gleams with a pure white tone accented by a very faint tint, a rare and prized variation evoking imperial purity. Measuring just 4 7/8 inches high, its petite scale suggests it adorned a ceremonial dagger rather than a utilitarian blade, fitting for the opulent court of Emperor Qianlong, a fervent collector and patron of the arts. In Chinese culture, jade symbolized virtue, i...