A large gold, turquoise and agate-inlaid iron fish-form fitting, Eastern Zhou dynasty, Warring States period | 東周戰國 鐵錯金嵌寶魚形鉤
Auction Closed
May 7, 03:37 AM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 40,000 HKD
Lot Details
Description
naturalistically modelled, the upper surface of the fish detailed with gilt overlapping scales, the head inlaid with gold leaf between the fins and turquoise at the eye, with a large agate ring looped over the upturned fin, the underside with a large circular knob, wood stand, Japanese wood box
36.5 cm
Kaikan Tokubetsu Shuppin Seihin Senshu [Special Opening Exhibition - Anthology of Selected Masterpieces], Kyushu National Museum, Fukuoka, 2005, cat. no. 4.
Hayashi Minao and Higuchi Takayasu, Fugendō Sakamoto Gorō Chūgoku seidōki seishō / Ancient Chinese Bronzes in the Sakamoto Collection, cat. no. 149.
Iron inlaid with precious materials was used for belt hooks and other luxury objects during the Warring States period. Several examples, all characterised by the heavy corrosion of the iron surface, are known, including two featured in the exhibition Chinese Art of the Warring States Period. Change and Continuity, 480-222 B.C., Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1982, cat. nos 51-52. Whilst the form of the present fitting follows that of belt hooks, its large size suggests a more practical function. Two bronze hooks with hinged oval handles were discovered together with bronze tripod vessels, ding, in the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng in Hebei Province, and it is believed that hooks of this type were inserted through the open handles of bronze vessels to lift the tripods while they were still hot, see ibid., p. 62. Hooks with ring handles were also used as chariot or harness fittings, see a pair of bronze fittings sold in our London rooms, 12th December 1978, lot. 220.
展覽
《開館特別出品「精品選集」》，九州國立博物館，福岡，2005年，編號4
出版
林巳奈夫及樋口隆康，《不言堂 坂本五郎 中国青銅器清賞》，東京，2002年，彩圖版17