A Gold Arm Guard, Western Han, Dian Kingdom, China (207BC-AD25). Photo courtesy Susan Ollemans

Height: 7.5cm. Price on request

The Dian Kingdom spread from the Kunming plain of Yunnan in the Warring States Period and continued until the Emperor Wudi of the Han Period. Many gold items have been unearthed from this period and were of a very precise nature. The pieces were made for the The Dian Royal Household and are of plain design but rich and pure using a large quantity of pure gold. They are quite distinct from neighboring cultures and are elegant and restrained.

Susan Ollemans. 13 Georgian House, 10 Bury Street, London, SW1Y 6AA, United Kingdom. M 07775566356 - ollemans@tiscali.co.uk - http://www.ollemans.com