Shang and Western Zhou: The Dynastic Cycle Emerges in Ancient China
Tue, Dec 20, 2022 09:00AM EST
Live Auction
Lot 23
Dagger (Ge) Pendant with Tiger Motif, Late Shang Period (1600-1100 BCE)
Estimate: $4,500 - $5,500
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $10 |
| $200 | $20 |
| $320 | $30 |
| $380 | $20 |
| $420 | $30 |
| $480 | $20 |
| $500 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $200 |
| $3,200 | $300 |
| $3,800 | $200 |
| $4,200 | $300 |
| $4,800 | $200 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 |
| $32,000 | $3,000 |
| $38,000 | $2,000 |
| $42,000 | $3,000 |
| $48,000 | $2,000 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
| $320,000 | $30,000 |
| $380,000 | $20,000 |
| $420,000 | $30,000 |
| $480,000 | $20,000 |
| $500,000 | $50,000 |
Drab olive green and white, the dagger, or "ge" is carved with such precision and balance that its ratios appear perfect to the naked eye. The handle of the dagger emerges from the maw of a feline. The head of the feline, likely a tiger, has blunt horns protruding from the top of its head and its face is simply yet masterfully articulated with fierce eyes and sharp fangs. Its whiskers and brow are pronounced, and its nose and mouth are outlined in a brilliant "s" shape that curls around the nostril and comes down and around the mouth and under the chin. The handle of the blade is almost completely embedded inside the tiger's mouth. The heel of the blade is decorated in a triangular pattern with the vertex pointed downwards. A similar pendant was exhibited at Smith College as part of an exhibition entitled Archaic Chinese Jades form the collection of Mr. & Mrs. Ivan B. Hart in 1963, pp. 40.
Jade, H: 3 3/8 in. W: 1 in. Th: 3/16 in. With a certificate of authenticity issued by Gu Fang, Senior Fellow of the Institute of Archaeology Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
(# 199)
Condition
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