A very rare turquoise-inlaid bronze plaque, Erlitou culture, circa 1900-1600 BC

6 août 2019

A very rare turquoise-inlaid bronze plaque, Erlitou culture, circa 1900-1600 BC

Lot 3201. A very rare turquoise-inlaid bronze plaque, Erlitou culture, circa 1900-1600 BC; 6 in. (15.5 cm.) high. Estimate HKD 3,500,000 - HKD 4,500,000. Price realised HKD 8,440,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2015

The slightly convex plaque is of waisted, oblong form, and inlaid with rectangular turquoise of varying sizes, with the exposed areas forming a monster mask. The plaque is cast with four small loop holes on each of the four corners, stand.

Provenance: Eskenazi, London, July 1991.

Exhibited: Eskenazi, Inlaid Bronze and Related Material from Pre-Tang China, London, 11 June-5 July 1991, no. 68.

Note: The present plaque is very rare and there are very few published examples. The present plaque appears to be the only example to be offered at auction.

Plaques of this type are thought to be ornaments belonging to high-status individuals of the Erlitou culture. Two very similar plaques have been found in Yanshi County, Henan Province. The first, found in 1981, has a slightly more elaborate design on the top section, while the second, found in 1984, shares an almost identical design to the current plaque bearing only slight differences in details, both with their eyes in original turquoise inlays, illustrated in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua dacidian, Shanghai, 1996, p. 4, no. 7 , and Gems of China's Cultural Relics, Beijing, 1992, no. 87, respectively.

Compare also to three other examples, formerly in the Winthrop collection, now in the Harvard Art Museums, accession numbers 1943.52.44, 1943.52.45 and 1943.52.46.

Turquoise-Inlaid Plaque with Stylized Animal-Mask Decoration, Erlitou culture, c. 1900-1500 BCE. Bronze with turquoise inlay; incrustations of greenish patina and earth with impressions of a closely woven fabric. H. 16.1 x W. 10 x D. 0.5 cm (6 5/16 x 3 15/16 x 3/16 in.), Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.52.44. © President and Fellows of Harvard College

Turquoise-Inlaid Plaque with Stylized Animal-Mask Decoration, Erlitou culture, c. 1900-1500 BCE. Bronze with turquoise inlay. H. 17.2 x W. 11.3 x Thickness 0.4 cm (6 3/4 x 4 7/16 x 3/16 in.), Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.52.45. © President and Fellows of Harvard College

Turquoise-Inlaid Plaque with Stylized Animal-Mask Decoration and Elongated Extension, Erlitou culture, c. 1900-1500 BCE. Bronze with turquoise inlay. H. 26.6 x W. 12.2 x Thickness 0.4 cm (10 1/2 x 4 13/16 x 3/16 in.), Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Grenville L. Winthrop, 1943.52.46. © President and Fellows of Harvard College.

While prized in Erlitou culture, turquoise inlay was also found in the tombs of high-ranking individuals continuing into the Shang dynasty, and many turquoise-inlaid objects were excavated from the tomb of the Shang queen, Fu Hao, consort of king Wu Ding, at Anyang, Henan province, as illustrated in Yinxu Yuqi (The Jades from Yinxu), Beijing, 1982, pl. 17. There have been several turquoise-inlaid Shang- dynasty works sold at auction, including a Shang dynasty hilt, which has similar inlay to the present lot, and was sold at Christie's Paris, 26 November 2002, lot 199. A turquoise-inlaid bronze and jade ge halberd blade was sold at Christie's New York, 21-22 March 2013, lot 1125.

CHRISTIE'S. THE IMPERIAL SALE & IMPORTANT CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 3 June 2015, Convention Hall