小皮鉈|Small polishing wheel for carving jade

Unknown

20th century · Leather · Asian Art

These wheels are made of soft materials and are used for polishing works of jade. They are first smeared with a paste made of fine abrasives and water, and then mounted on a spinning shaft driven by foot treadles. This setup frees both of the craftsman’s hands to manipulate the jade.

Artist

Unknown

Date

20th century

Medium

Leather

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Joan Hartman-Goldsmith, 1981