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Tripod Vessel, Warring States Period, 475 – 221 B.C., China © Zetterquist Galleries Height: 11cm. Diameter: 17cm A globular jar of dense high-fired earthenware with three tiny feet of pinched form. The body is decorated with an impressed finely textured pattern, intended to seal up the walls to hold liquid inside. There is a very small totie-mask-and-ring decoration on the front of the vessel and a strap handle with a totie-mask shaped top, both alluding to the bronze prototypes of these wares. There are lines of... [Lire la suite]

Lot 35. A pair of late 17th-early 18th century silver parcel gilt figure groups by Abraham Drentwett II, Augsburg, French occupation silver marks circa 1800. Estimate £30000–50000 © Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions NEWBURY.- Featuring in the Jewellery, Silver and Watches sale at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions on 15th March at Donnington Priory is a wonderful collection of 18th and 19th century Belgian, Dutch and French silver and objects of vertu,... [Lire la suite]

Amateur treasure hunters have uncovered a horde of Iron Age gold jewellery in central England, including some of the earliest Celtic art ever found in Britain. (AFP Photo/HO) LONDON (AFP).-  Two amateur treasure hunters have uncovered a bracelet decorated with some of the earliest Celtic art ever found in Britain in a trove of gold jewellery revealed on Tuesday. Metal detectorists Mark Hambleton and Joe Kania made the discovery of the three torcs and a bracelet, which may have been made in France or Germany some... [Lire la suite]

Lot 4. An exceptionally rare and important blue and white moon flask, Ming dynasty, Yongle period (1403-1424). Estimation 2,200,000 — 3,000,000 USD. Unsold. Photo: Sotheby's. elegantly potted, the full-bodied swelling flask with a flattened globular body of elongated section, surmounted by a slender cylindrical neck flanked by two scroll handles and resting on a slightly concave flat base, exquisitely painted on either side of the body with masterful arrangements of blossoming... [Lire la suite]

Lot 1. A fine blue and white barbed rim 'floral scroll' dish, Ming dynasty, Yongle period (1403-1424). Estimation 200,000 — 300,000 USD. Lot sold 732,500 USD. Photo: Sotheby's. very finely potted with shallow rounded sides divided into twelve bracket foliations, rising from a short tapered foot to a barbed everted rim, deftly and richly painted in shades of cobalt blue with a central lotus bloom to the interior, shown en face surrounded by blooms of camellia,... [Lire la suite]

Lot 870. A glass-inlaid gold and silver decorated-bronze belt hook, Warring States-Western Han dynasty (475 BC-AD 8). Estimate: USD 6,000 - USD 8,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017. The pierced, hollow broad end is cast as an animal head with ribbed horns that curve backwards to surround a circular glass inlay above back-swept, silvered scrolls on the ribbed sides. A silver ribbed band is at the base of the neck of the dragon-head hook which has inlaid glass eyes. 3 in. (7.6 cm.) long ... [Lire la suite]

Lot 861. A gilt-bronze taotie mask fitting with loose ring handle, Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Estimate: USD 6,000 - USD 8,000. Price realised USD 23,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017. The well-cast mask is finely detailed with striated hair markings and a ring-punched ground and suspends a loose ring from the down-turned nose which continues into a rectangular tab on the back below another tab pierced for attachment. 6 in. (15.2 cm.) high overall, stand Provenance: Christie’s New... [Lire la suite]

Lot 860. A pair of gilt-bronze rectangular belt plaques, North China, 3rd-2nd century AD. Estimate: USD 6,000 - USD 8,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017. Each plaque is cast with two addorsed ungulates shown in a recumbent position facing the outer edge and with their back legs rotated up over their backs where they flank their tails which terminate in confronted roe heads, all within a double rope border. Each has two attachment loops on the reverse which bears a woven pattern indicating that the plaque was... [Lire la suite]

Lot 857. Two gilt-bronze rectangular belt plaques, North China, 3rd-2nd century AD. Estimate: USD 10,000 - USD 15,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017. Each plaque is cast in relief with an ungulate being attacked by a bear and a wolf, the design incorporating raptor heads along the lower, upper and inner edges. Each has two vertical attachment loops on the reverse, and one is pierced with a single hole. 4 ¾ and 4 5/8 in. (12 and 11.8 cm.) long, box Provenance: Pierced plaque: acquired in Hong Kong,... [Lire la suite]

Lot 847. A very rare gilt-bronze feline-form ornament, North China, 1st-2nd century AD. Estimate: USD 15,000 - USD 25,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017. The finely cast feline is shown gracefully prowling with head turned to the side and right fore-paw raised, the end of the tail hidden behind the right rear paw. Two pins project from the almost flat reverse. 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm.) long, box Provenance: Private collection, France, before 1945.The Erwin Harris Collection, Miami, Florida, before... [Lire la suite]