Page 380 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art Nov 2013 Hong Kong

575 575
Two archaic bronze and iron locking mechanisms
576 Tang dynasty
378 | Bonhams The main frame of cylindrical form cast in shallow relief with a phoenix
amidst feathers, joined with an L-shaped pin below a stylised moth on
top of a flattened waisted base with scalloped edges, released only by a
fork-like key; together with a detached part with hexagonal-ringed grip
and a hanging interconnecting hinge, and two small floral-shaped levers.
The larger 20.8cm long. (4).
HK$30,000 - 50,000
US$3,900 - 6,500

唐 銅鎖及鎖具

The earliest-known locking mechanism is recorded during the Han
dynasty. The present lot is uncommon being a more complicated Tang
dynasty example than its predecessors. For a comparable example in the
Palace Museum, Beijing, see Bronze Articles for Daily Use. The Complete
Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2006, p.207,
no.184.

一銅鎖呈圓柱形，中空，上刻卷草鳳紋，一端飾圓雕蟬形，另一端有鎖
孔，孔中插有鑰匙，鑰匙柄扁平，末端有一系環。另一鎖具呈彎針形，
上有大小機關及花形配件，相信是其他鎖具的鑰匙。

北京故宮博物院藏唐代銅鎖可與本拍品作參考，該銅鎖呈長方形，紋飾
較為簡單，見見杜迺松主編，《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集:青銅生活
器》，香港，2006，頁207，圖版184。根書中所言，中國現存最早的
鎖具是漢代鐵鎖，唐代銅鎖正好代表著早期鎖具之一，具歷史價值。

576
An archaic bronze and silver dagger hilt
Tang dynasty
Cast in bronze with the exterior in silver, the rhomboid-shaped guard
with floral decoration extending from a thick grip ending as a heavy and
slightly compressed pommel. 14.6cm long.
HK$8,000 - 12,000
US$1,000 - 1,500

唐 青銅銀劍首