Sculpture & Aesthetics
A dragon skull is the sort of thing we would happily rearrange a shelf for. There’s something irresistible about seeing an imagined creature given teeth, eye sockets, and a jaw you can follow with your fingers. You start wondering about the rest of it—how large it might have been, what those horns would have looked like on a living animal. A good skull leaves you with a creature to imagine.
That is what we enjoy working on: the long, low profile, the sweep of the horns, the plates around the eyes. We pay attention to how these parts fit together, so the head feels convincing from the side as well as the front. Deep recesses give the polished stone places to fall into shadow, while its natural markings run through the face. It has the satisfying strangeness of something you might hope to find in a very unusual natural history collection.
Nine Dragon Jasper
Nine Dragon Jade, also known as Hua’an Jade, is a fine-grained calc-silicate metamorphic rock. Its mineral mixture creates contrasting bands and veins in blue-green, green, dark brown and other tones. The compact texture supports a smooth polish, while curved carved surfaces reveal changes in the stone’s pattern. Jade is the established commercial name for this material.
I connect with the modern associations of courage, wisdom, and protection attached to Nine Dragon Jade. I would choose it for my workspace as an expression of the strength to act thoughtfully and look after what matters to me.
Details & Care
Material properties
- Surface
- Polished
- Hardness & Specific Gravity
- Mohs: approximately 5.8–6.6 in published testing. Specific gravity: approximately 2.8–3.1. Values vary with mineral composition and are not measurements of an individual sculpture.
Natural Variation & Care
Natural veils, inclusions and variations in color are part of the material’s character. Appearance may vary with lighting and screen settings.
Dust with a soft cloth or clean briefly with lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. Dry promptly. Avoid acids, harsh household chemicals, steam, ultrasonic cleaning, hard knocks and abrasive contact.
Take particular care around the horns, crest points, teeth, and lateral plates; support the sculpture from its solid base rather than lifting it by projecting details.
Shipping & Returns
Each piece is carefully packed to protect its carved surfaces during transit.