Mountain Jade - The Company

Johns Personal Journey

How it all began; John Sheehan’s personal journey
Those who believe Jade has special attributes often subscribe to the theory that jade chooses the person rather than the other way around, especially when purchasing a piece of jade. In John Sheehan’s case, his lifelong affair with jade certainly appears to have been preordained.

The American’s interest in jade and jade carving might never have blossomed into a lifelong love affair - and a family tradition - if he hadn’t chosen to study at an Alaskan university, shared a house with an Inuit artist who carved whale bone, become interested in stone carving, immigrated to New Zealand, and become fascinated by Maori art. But all those things did happen.

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After coming to New Zealand to do further study at Canterbury University in 1971, John’s fascination with carving and Maori art developed into a full-blown passion with New Zealand nephrite jade (known to European New Zealanders as greenstone and pounamu by the indigenous Maori) as well as other jades from around the world.

By the late 70s John had completed his studies and was working as an apprentice silversmith for Jens Hansen, a Dane who ran the Gold and Silversmith Workshop in Nelson and was at the centre of the Nelson arts community. It was here that John came into contact with the Suter Art Gallery’s artist in residence, Bill Matheson Senior from Hokitika. It was the first time John had seen a jade carver at work and he was fascinated.

Unable to find anywhere to learn the ancient art of jade carving, John bought his own machines and raw stone and proceeded to teach himself by trial and error.

Whilst there may not have been many formal learning opportunities available, knowledge was freely passed on by many. During those early years John was fortunate to meet many of New Zealand’s best stone carvers of the day – among them Neil Hannah, John Edgar, Ross Crump, Bill Matheson Snr, Hepi Maxwell and rock hounds Don and Mona Brooker - all of whom were experimenting with pounamu/jade. It was an exciting time, particularly following the publication of Theo Schoon’s book, Jade Country, in 1973.

A New Zealand-based artist who had discovered stone carving, Theo’s influence on the New Zealand nephrite jade carving scene was immense. Carvers were eager to move away from the conventional forms to explore and develop new and contemporary ways of dealing with the material.

John later moved to Auckland and achieved success with a home-based jade carving business selling all the work he could produce - from sculptural pieces to bread and butter designs - to the likes of the Auckland Museum and Queen Street jeweller, Slocombes. With a growing family to support, John decided a more business-like approach was required, so he and his brother-in-law went into business together in 1986.

They chose Rotorua because of the steady stream of tourists and opened a retail business in Hinemoa Street. After two years, John bought his brother-in-law out and moved around the corner into a smaller but more high profile site (near what is now Ciccios Café) in Fenton Street.

Partnership Equals Opportunities

In 1993 John and Jin Hong “Dracky” Zhang became partners.

The Chinese food technologist with an entrepreneurial streak (he had already set up a joint venture English language school in China in partnership with an Air NZ pilot) was working in Rotorua when he introduced himself to John. When Dracky mentioned to John that his brother Jackson was a jade master carver in China it proved to be a defining moment for the business.

John immediately saw potential in linking up with a person with such an intimate knowledge of Chinese jade carving techniques and processes. The resultant partnership meant the company was able to access new forms of international jade carving; within two years they were able to expand the wholesale business into larger premises and rebrand as the Jade Factory.

Chinese Connection (extends reach)

In 1995 the two partners also set up a factory to manufacture jade jewellery in China. Providing employment, housing, meals and medical care for the more than 100 workers, the Sihui factory near Guangdong is run by Dracky’s brother, Jackson Zhang. When the partnership between John and Dracky was first formed, Jackson was employed by another company as a full- time jade carver.

When the Rotorua business imported its initial British Columbian nephrite jade, some of the shipment was sent on to Jackson in China along with some of John’s designs. Jackson worked on them in his spare time, and the finished products were then imported back into New Zealand. This was the start of the company’s wholesale operation in New Zealand.

For a while Jackson continued to carve for the Jade Factory whilst still doing his day job but the business quickly grew to a stage were it was viable to set him up in his own factory.

With their centuries-old tradition of jade carving, it was straightforward to find Chinese carvers with first-rate skills to fulfil the staffing needs of the Sihui factory. As well as the fulltime workers, the factory employs many more carvers on contract. Jackson and his team in Sihui produce the company’s more inexpensive product ranges from Canadian and Russian nephrite jade. The company’s philosophy has always been to save New Zealand stone for New Zealand carvers, who fashion the more expensive pieces. Items carved in New Zealand are marked as such.

The majority of the items produced in China are sold through wholesalers in that country; with the Chinese market happily buying John’s more contemporary designs as they like and relate to the symbolism of the design. With their highly developed appreciation of jade, the Chinese know that in New Zealand nephrite jade has been part of the indigenous culture since Maori arrived in New Zealand.

Chinese collectors, especially, will seek out the new and different in the jade market as there is a significant status involved in having the ‘latest’ jade item.

Knowledge and Growth (go hand in hand)

John’s enthusiasm for the beguiling jade has taken him to almost all known jade fields around the world. He regularly travels to Russia, Canada, China and Australia to personally seek out the highest quality raw material for their two large lapidary and jewellery workshops. It’s a task that calls for an expert eye and experience; something John and Dracky have both become skilled in during their long association with jade.

Together John and Dracky have grown the operation to a level were it employs more than 200 people in New Zealand and China. John is “hugely proud” of the fact that they have grown from a one man workshop to being New Zealand’s biggest jade outlet , offering the largest range of jade carving, sculpture and jewellery across seven retail outlets in New Zealand (one in Auckland, three in Rotorua, one in Picton and two in Hokitika) and supporting many jade carvers.

Over the years the company has trained and employed many carvers, both in New Zealand and in China, who have become artists in their own right. Not surprisingly the support of young carvers extended to John’s sons, Joe, John Junior and Jacob.

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Growing up under the influence of their father’s love of jade, the boys have followed in John Senior’s footsteps and have become highly talented jade carvers in their own right.

During the company’s long history and extensive travel to jade fields, Mountain Jade staff have accumulated an immense knowledge of jade carving techniques and processes from around the world. One aspect of this is being able to source and pick the best (jewellery grade) jade. Most people don’t realise all jade is the not created equal.

When John goes to buy jade, whether in New Zealand, Canada or Russia, he is looking for certain qualities; namely colour, translucence and fine grain. These three qualities only come together in about 5% of all jade found in any mining year.

Mountain Jade’s team of carvers share John and Dracky’s love for jade and the desire to interpret the individual qualities and spirituality of each piece of stone. As true jade specialists, Mountain Jade believes quality control is paramount. Many of the hand sculptured nephrite jade and jadeite creations fashioned into jewellery and sculptures have a special meaning connected with hope, strength, growth and family bonds.

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Because of the way the different artists approach the craft of carving, every piece has a distinctive, one-off look and feel.

Importing and exporting under the Jade Factory name since 1995, the decision was made in 2010 to separate the retail and wholesale divisions with the retail division of Jade Factory rebranded as Mountain Jade.

The company is currently undergoing an expansion programme, and sees the next phase of its growth in China. The natural starting point for this development is Sihui, a jade town - with a population of 300,000 - one third of them involved in the jade industry. Here, work has begun on a purpose-built facility, housing a carving display workshop, theatre and museum. The company is pleased to be able to promote the ancient Chinese art form in this way.

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