Jade flower disc mounted in a gilt bronze belt buckle. One end of the waist belt is attached to the buckle while the other end is fixed to a detachable counter part which slots into the two grooved notches on the back. The use of jade flowers is still shrouded in mystery. We know from tomb murals that many flowers were used in hairpins, hair decorations, on shoes and belt ornaments. However in almost all cases the original fittings have disappeared and it is very rare to find a jade flower set in an original gilt bronze mounting. The back of the belt ornament has been engraved with melons which symbolize the wish for many children as melons contain many seeds. The ornament was acquired in 2017 at an auction in Knoxville, Tennessee. Provenance: Private West Tennessee collection. Weight and dimensions include the bronze mounting. This type of flower is not depicted in professor Cheng Te-k’un’s book ‘Jade Flowers and Floral Patterns in Chinese Decorative Art ‘.