Lot 142
142
A RARE PARCEL-GILT SILVER APRICOT LEAF-SHAPED HORSE TRAPPING

Details
A RARE PARCEL-GILT SILVER APRICOT LEAF-SHAPED HORSE TRAPPING
TANG DYNASTY

The plaque of pointed leaf-form, well-cast on one side in detailed relief with the figure of a foreign dancer trailing billowing scarves picked out in silver, reserved on a gilt ring-matted ground surrounded by an elaborate gilt foliate border, with a loop for suspension, the reverse plain--3½ in. (9cm.) long

Lot Essay

The apricot-leaf (xingye) ornament was introduced in the Tang Dynasty, a discussion of which is included in the article by Sunji, Wenwu, 1981, vol. X, pp. 82-88, translated in Chinese Archaeological Abstracts, vol. IV, edited by Dien, pp. 1782-1787, fig. 7