Page 59 - 2019 September 12th Christie's New York Chiense Art Masterpieces of Chinese Gold and Silver

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A GOLD FOIL APPLIQUÉ AN OPENWORK GOLD SHEET APPLIQUÉ
SPRING AND AUTUMN PERIOD, LATE 6TH CENTURY BC EASTERN HAN-EARLY SIX DYNASTIES PERIOD,
1ST-3RD CENTURY AD
The appliqué is cut from very thin gold foil in the shape of a creature with
a bird head at one end facing a dragon head (now mostly missing) at the The very thin gold sheet of rectangular form has a cut-out design of two
other end, the conjoined body chased with intertwined scrolling snakes. stags confronted on a central row of three stacked rings.
There are small holes for attachment.
2æ in. (7 cm.) wide, framed
4æ in. (2 cm.) long, framed
$4,000-6,000
$3,000-5,000
PROVENANCE
PROVENANCE Dr. Johan Carl Kempe (1884-1967) Collection, Sweden, before 1953,
Dr. Johan Carl Kempe (1884-1967) Collection, Sweden, before 1953, no. CK31.
no. CK9. Sotheby’s London, Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork.
Sotheby’s London, Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork. Early Gold and Silver, 14 May 2008, lot 5.
Early Gold and Silver, 14 May 2008, lot 14.
EXHIBITED
EXHIBITED Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution, Chinese Gold & Silver in the
Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution, Chinese Gold & Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, 1954-55, cat. no. 31.
Carl Kempe Collection, 1954-55, cat. no. 9.
LITERATURE
LITERATURE Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold & Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection,
Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold & Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, cat. no. 31.
Stockholm, 1953, cat. no. 9. Chinese Gold & Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art
Chinese Gold & Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 29.
and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 8
The design of this gold sheet applaqué appears to be based on that
春秋 金箔鳥首蛇紋形飾 of bronze belt plaques, such as the example in the Arthur M. Sackler
Collections, illustrated by Emma C. Bunker et al., Ancient Bronzes of
the Eurasian Steppes, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, 1997, p. 280,
pl. 248, where the central motif is described as a twisted bush-like form.
The author also illustrates, fg. 248, a gold plaque of the same design
excavated at a Xianbei site in Sandaowan, Chayouhou banner,
523 Inner Mongolia.

A GOLD SHEET BELT PLAQUE OVERLAY 東漢/六朝 金箔鏤空雙鹿紋飾
HAN DYNASTY (206 BC-AD 220)
The thin gold, rectangular sheet is chased overall with a densely
arranged pattern of scrolling meander enclosing a dragon, bear and a
bird. The edges are highlighted with minute beading.
3¡ x 1º in. (8.5 x 3.3 cm.), framed
$3,000-5,000
PROVENANCE
Dr. Johan Carl Kempe (1884-1967) Collection, Sweden, before 1953,
no. CK14.
Sotheby’s London, Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork. Early
Gold and Silver, 14 May 2008, lot 36.

EXHIBITED
Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution, Chinese Gold & Silver in the
Carl Kempe Collection, 1954-55, cat. no. 14.
New York, Asia House Gallery, Chinese Gold, Silver and Porcelain. The
Kempe Collection, 1971, cat. no. 7, an exhibition touring the United States
and shown also at nine other museums.

LITERATURE
Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold & Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection,
Stockholm, 1953, cat. no. 14.
Chinese Gold & Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art
and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 10.
漢 金箔瑞獸紋飾 57