Chinese Late Qing-Early Republic Spinach Jade Cup, 1st Quarter 20th Century

A dark green, footed nephrite spinach jade cup with flared rim. Finely carved to a translucent thinness.

Cup is beautifully formed with no cracks or issues.

Jade has been prized in China since the Neolithic period for its rarity and difficulty in carving. Although not very hard (6-7), jade is one of the toughest gem minerals because of the inter-grown nature of the individual crystals. Spinach jade with its black graphite inclusions is considered the most valuable green nephrite variety.