silver

An archaic silver seal with bixie knop, Eastern Han Dynasty–Jin Dynasty, A.D. 2nd – 3rd Century. Height 11⁄16 inch (1.8 cm). Base 1⁄2 x 1⁄2 inches (1.2 x 1.2 cm). Price On Request. © 2020 J.J. Lally & Co., New York cast with a boldly modelled bixie on top of a solid block with slightly canted sides, the auspicious beast shown in a dynamic twisting pose with head held high and mouth open revealing fangs and teeth, a pair of ribbed horns curled back from the top of the... [Lire la suite]

Lot 837. A chased and cast silver cup with gilt highlights, 10th-12th century; 2 3/8in (6cm) diameter, 1 7/16in (3.6cm) high, 48 grams. Estimate US$ 5,000 - 7,000 (€ 4,500 - 6,300). © Bonhams. Of inverted bell form raised on a low foot and flat base, the interior rim chased with a narrow band of overlapping petals or waves and the exterior walls engraved with a wider band of two garden rocks that separate peony branches in bloom against a minutely ring-punched ground, the surfaces showing... [Lire la suite]

Lot 567. A pair of miniature gold duck-shaped ornaments, Song-Ming dynasty (960-1644). Duck-shaped ornaments 7/8 in. x 5/8 in. (2.3 x 1.6 cm.), bird ornament 1 1/8 in. (2.8 cm.) long; duck-shaped ornaments total weight 3.2 g. Estimate USD 2,000 - USD 3,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2019. Each ornament is in the shape of a small duck sitting on a separately-made rectangular lotus leaf with curled edges; together with a miniature filigree bird-form ornament, Ming-Qing dynasty (1368-1911).  ... [Lire la suite]

Lot 583. A silver flanged cup, Jin-Yuan dynasty, 12th-13th century; 4 in. (10.2 cm.) wide; weight 50 g. Estimate USD 15,000 - USD 25,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2019. The shallow cup is decorated on the interior with a single lotus flower, and has a flat, flange-like handle decorated in repoussé stippling with foliate scroll projecting from the rim on one side. Provenance: Dr. Johan Carl Kempe (1884-1967) Collection, Sweden, before 1953, no. CK136.Sotheby's London, Masterpieces of... [Lire la suite]

Lot 566. A rare double scabbard and knives, Southern Song-Yuan dynasty, 10th-14th century; 6 5/8 in. (16.8 cm.) long; weight 76 g. Estimate USD 80,000 - USD 120,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2019. The handles of the iron knives are embellished with finely chased gold sheet decorated with foliate scrolls and inlaid with small turquoise cabochons. Both scabbards are of slightly different length and attached to each other on one side. Each is made of wood and reinforced with gold and silver sheets decorated... [Lire la suite]

Lot 206. A pair of exceedingly rare silver 'Makara' plaques, Song dynasty (960-1279). Height of taller 3 1/4  in., 8.3 cm. Estimate USD 6,000 — 8,000. Courtesy Sotheby's. each of triangular form pierced with two tiny apertures on each of the sides, the recessed top decorated in repoussé with two pairs of confronting makaras, each with a single horn, a long curled snout, and a sinuous scaly body issuing large pelvic fins and a dorsal fin along the spine, extending to a furcated tail,... [Lire la suite]

  Lot 576. A rare gold 'kalavinka' hairpin ornament, Liao dynasty (AD 907-1125); 2 in. (5.1 cm) wide; weight 6.1 g. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2019. The front of the ornament is shaped in repoussé as a bejeweled kalavinka, its hands crossed in front of the chest as it floats amidst clouds. All of the outlines are beaded and it is soldered to a plain gold back.  Provenance: Dr. Johan Carl Kempe (1884-1967) Collection, Sweden, before 1953, no.... [Lire la suite]

Lot 527. A pair of parcel-gilt silver hairpins, Tang dynasty (618-907). Each 13 1/8 in. (33.2 cm.) long, total weight 42.8 g. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2019. The openwork head of each hammered silver, double-pronged hairpin has a fine openwork design of a lion facing a small bird perched on top of a large feathered plume surrounded by scrolling tendrils, leather box. Provenance: Dr. Johan Carl Kempe (1884-1967) Collection, Sweden, before 1954.Sotheby's... [Lire la suite]

Lot 1279. A rare miniature silver box and cover, Tang-Song dynasty, 9th-12th century; 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 10,000 - USD 15,0000. Price realised USD 12,500. © Christie's Image Ltd 2010. The cover chased with a serpent coiled around a tortoise (The Dark Warrior), each with head turned to face the other, reserved on a crosshatch ground and within a single line border encircled by leafy scroll and a dogtooth pattern at the edge, above a further band of leafy scroll on the side repeated on the sides of... [Lire la suite]

Lot 307. A German silver double-beaker, Tobias Hallaicher, Augsburg, 1692; 8.3cm, 3¼in. diameter, 4495gr., 14oz. 8dwt. total. Estimate 2,500 — 3,500 GBP. Lot sold 4,000 GBP. Courtesy Sotheby's. detaching into two beakers, chased with swirling matted flutes, 8.3cm, 3¼in. high; with a Continental parcel-gilt double-beaker, town mark an eagle only, probably Baltic, late-17th century, the bowls chased with shells between bands of leaves and flutes, sheet-scroll girdles, each... [Lire la suite]