Lot 17. An important and extremely rare gold Xiongnu crest of a headdress in the shape of a mythological animal, Warring States period, 5th-3rd century BC. W. 5.8 cm. Estimate 50,000 — 75,000 EUR. Unsold. © AAG

Shaped as a reclining stag with scrolling antlers terminating in bird's heads.

Provenance:- Collection of Claude Sciaky - Menaschè, Venice
- Collection Drs. Koos de Jong, Amsterdam.

Compare: - J.F. So and E.C. Bunker, Traders and Raiders on China's Northern Frontier, Seattle and London 1995, p. 56, fig. 20
- E.C. Bunker, Ancient Bronzes of the Eastern Eurasian Steppes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, New York 1997, pp.49-50, figs. A53 and A56
Orientations, November 1999, p. 52, fig. 6
- H. Wei and C. Deydier, Ancient Chinese Gold, Paris 2001, pp. 62-63, fig. 101

Note: A similar crest is in the Museum for the History of Shaanxi and is excavated from a tomb near Nalingaotu Village, Shenmu County, China. These precious metal luxury objects were probably produced by Chinese craftsmen for Scythian or Ukok nomads living at the northwestern borders.

Art d'Asie comprenant la collection du Drs Koos de Jong - Partie 1 chez AAG (Arts & Antiques Group), Amsterdam, le 05 Novembre 2018 à 14h00