Lot 71
71
A BRONZE HALBERD BLADE, GE, AND A BRONZE RITUAL BLADE
PROPERTY FROM THE MICHAEL MICHAELS (1907-1986) COLLECTION OF EARLY CHINESE ART (LOTS 71-74)
A BRONZE HALBERD BLADE, GE, AND A BRONZE RITUAL BLADE

SHANG DYNASTY (1600-1100 BC)

Details
A BRONZE HALBERD BLADE, GE, AND A BRONZE RITUAL BLADE
SHANG DYNASTY (1600-1100 BC)
The tapered halberd blade is crisply cast on each side with a stylised scroll design, and the nei is pierced with a single hafting hole. The knife is cast with a slightly tapered blade and a kidney-shaped ring handle. The surface of both blades have a pale green patina with malachite encrustations.
The ge, 10 ½ in. (26.7 cm.) long
The ritual blade 9 7/8 in. (25.1 cm.) long
Provenance
The halberd blade:
Sotheby's London, 19 October 1965, lot 38.
Sotheby's London, 14 November 1972, lot 224.
The Collection of Michael Michaels (1907-1986), and thence by descent within the family.
The ritual blade:
Sotheby's London, 3 April 1979, lot 41.
The Collection of Michael Michaels (1907-1986), and thence by descent within the family.

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Lot Essay

See a ge-halberd blade with similarly shaped and decorated butt from the Harris Collection of important early Chinese art, sold at Christie's New York, 16 March 2017, lot 809.
Another example is in the Museum van Aziatische Kunst, Amsterdam, illustrated by C. Deydier, Les Bronzes Chinois, Paris, 1980, p. 231, no. 99.

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