WARRING STATES PERIOD, CIRCA 4TH CENTURY BC

Details

A RARE GOLD AND TURQUOISE-INLAID BRONZE SWORD
WARRING STATES PERIOD, CIRCA 4TH CENTURY BC
The long tapering blade is cast with a median ridge and beveled edges. The oval handle is encircled by two rings and the dished circular pommel inlaid in gold wire and turquoise with C-scrolls surrounding a quatrefoil motif centered by a small gold sheet disc. The bronze has a grey and green patina with some malachite green encrustation.
18 7/8 in. (48 cm.) long, fitted brocade box

Provenance

Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987) Collection, New York, acquired prior to 1965.
Property from the Arthur M. Sackler Collection; Christie’s New York, 14 September 2009, lot 25.

Exhibited

New York, Columbia University, February 1965.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Rufus Chen (陳嘉安) Head of Sale, AVP, Specialist

asianartny@christies.com +1 212 636 2180

Lot Essay

A sword of slightly larger size (60.5 cm. long), with turquoise inlay in the guard and rings but not the pommel, is illustrated by M. Loehr, Chinese Bronze Age Weapons, University of Michigan, 1956, pl. XXXVIII (no. 98). The author's description of the patina, p. 203, also seems to be very similar to that of the present sword. A detail of another sword, no. 97, pl. XL, which also has turquoise inlay on the guard and rings, shows remains of fine fibers wrapped around the hilt just below the pommel. A bronze sword from the Stephen Junkunc Collection similarly cast with two rings on the handle, was sold at Christie’s New York, 19 March 2021, lot 608, and a bronze sword with a gold-inlaid pommel from the Arthur M. Sackler collection was sold at Christie’s New York, 21 March 2013, lot 1234.

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