Page 32 - Christie's Important Chinese Art Nov 3 2020 London

PROPERTY FROM A PRINCELY COLLECTION
*11
A RARE AND IMPORTANT GOLD 'FELINE-HEAD' FINIAL
SPRING AND AUTUMN PERIOD, 6TH-EARLY 5TH CENTURY BC
The finial is finely cast and engraved as a feline head with a large snarling mouth below the glaring eyes
with scrolling brows and heart-shaped eyes. The tube is pierced to both sides between two bands of
imitation-granulation borders.
1 1/4 in. (3.2cm.) high, weight 34.1g
£30,000-50,000 US$39,000-64,000
€33,000-55,000
PROVENANCE:
Collection of C.T. Loo (1881-1957), New York, acquired prior to 1957.
Western Private Collection.
Wih Roger Keverne, London, 2008.
Property from a Princely Collection.
LITERATURE:
Roger Keverne, Fine and Rare Chinese Works of Art and Ceramics Summer Exhibition, London, 2008, cat.
no. 5.
The present finial may be compared to the virtually identical gold finial from the Dr Johan Carl Kempe
Collection (1884-1967), sold at Christie's New York, Masterpieces of Early Chinese Gold and Silver, 12
September 2019, lot 512. On both finials, the narrow bands of dots that highlight the various features
and form the borders of the two bands of scrolls encircling the tubular neck appear to be imitating the
granulation technique which was introduced into China from the Near East. That type of granulation
was created by diffusion bonding tiny gold spheres to the surface. The type of imitation granulation that
decorates these finials can also be seen on two other pieces of Spring and Autumn date (770-475 BC)
illustrated by Carol Michaelson in Gilded Dragons: Buried Treasures from China's Golden Ages, British
Museum, 1999: one a small gold garment hook with duck-head hook excavated in 1992 at Yimen village,
Baoji, Shaanxi province, p. 27, no. 5 (left), the other the turquoise-inlaid gold hilt of an iron sword, p. 31,
no. 9, from the same excavation.

貴族私人珍藏
春秋 金虎首形飾
來源:
盧芹齋舊藏, 紐約, 於1957年前購入
西方私人舊藏
Roger Keverne, 倫敦, 2008年
出版:
Roger Keverne, 《Fine and Rare Chinese Works of Art and Ceramics Summer Exhibition》倫敦, 2008年, 圖5

30 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.