AN UNUSUAL BRONZE DAGGER

WARRING STATES PERIOD/WESTERN HAN DYNASTY, CIRCA 3RD CENTURY BC

Details

AN UNUSUAL BRONZE DAGGER
WARRING STATES PERIOD/WESTERN HAN DYNASTY, CIRCA 3RD CENTURY BC
One side of the blade faceted and with median ridge, the reverse with a raised center finely cast with a repeating angular pattern between narrow rope-twist borders before tapering to a needle-like ridge at the point, with a diamond-shaped guard, and hollow-cast handle decorated on both sides with S-scrolls either side of a central rib
13 3/8 in. (34 cm.) long, box

Provenance

P.C. Lu & Sons, Ltd., Hong Kong, 14 May 1988.

Exhibited

The Glorious Traditions of Chinese Bronzes, Singapore, 2000, no. 79.
Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 2002-2006.

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Lot Essay

An almost identical dagger in the Tokyo National Museum, illustrated by Hayashi Minao, Chugoku In Shu jidai no buki, Kyoto, 1972, p. 212, fig. 309, is dated Spring and Autumn/Warring States period, and is said to have been excavated, but not where. Based on the unusual decoration and shape of this dagger, it is possible that it might come from southwestern China, possibly Yunnan province.

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