Lot 3064. Two metal 'cicada' locking mechanisms, Tang dynasty (618-907); 10.5 and 21.2 cm. Lot sold: 119,700 HKD (Estimate: 30,000 - 50,000 HKD). © Sotheby's 2022

Provenance: Sze Yuan Tang Collection, 1980s.
Bonhams Hong Kong, 24th November 2013, lot 575 (HK$37,500).

Note: The earliest known locking mechanism is first attributed to the Han dynasty. The current examples are more advanced and intricate than their predecessors. See a similar Tang example from the Palace Museum Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum: Bronze Articles for Daily Use, Hong Kong, 2006, pl. 184.

Sotheby's. Chinese Art Online: A Private Asian Collection, Hong Kong, 28 July 2022.