Beschreibung:

Lot details Opinion: While bronze mat weights from the Warring States Period or the Han dynasty are rarer and rarer to come across on the market, it has nowadays become almost impossible to find one with such well preserved and detailed inlay work. The drama of the depiction has been copied over and over during later periods, and for all kinds of purposes, but it has never been achieved again to the extent found in the present lot. China, 5th century BC to 2nd century AD. Boldly cast as two ferocious bears locked in combat, one biting into his opponent’s back as this one roars in anguish with his tongue outstretched. Finely inlaid in gold and silver, the two animals with scroll and geometric decoration as well as subtle detailing to their bodies, the sides of the circular base with a scroll band between line borders. Provenance: From a noted private collector in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Condition: Superb condition, commensurate with age. Wear, signs of weathering and erosion, corrosion, malachite and cuprite encrustation, nicks, scratches, losses and cracks. The gold and silver inlays exceptionally well-preserved. A bronze weight of around 2,000 years of age or more in such well-preserved condition must be considered exceedingly rare. Weight: 590.0 g Dimensions: Diameter 6.7 cm, Height 5 cm With a velvet-padded silk storage box. (2) Mat weights crafted from precious materials such as bronze and jade, often gilded or inlaid with gold, silver or gemstones, were produced in sets of four and served a practical function of anchoring down woven mats for seating. Mats and corner-weights were believed to have been used at banquets, even those laid out in tombs. Inlaid animal-form weights were discovered in the tomb of Dou Wan, consort of Liu Sheng, Prince Jing of Zhongshan (d. 113 BC), alongside food and wine vessels. The sculptural depiction of animals in combat was introduced to China from the nomadic and semi-nomadic cultures of Central Asia, the Eurasian steppes, and the Ordos region, and was an innovation particular to the Warring States and Han dynasty periods. During the early Western Han dynasty, the imperial Shanglin zoological park and hunting reserve adjacent to the walled city grew in size and importance. Conceived as a microcosm of the empire, it allowed the emperor and his courtiers to observe and study the various species of plants and animals known at the time. The site also served as a venue for orchestrated animal combat for the entertainment of the court. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related silver and gold-inlaid bronze mat weight from the Han dynasty depicting a ram and tiger, illustrated by Jenkins, Mysterious Sprits, Strange Beasts, Earthly Delights: Early Chinese Art from the Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Collection, Portland, 2005, page 60, and now in the collection of the Portland Art Museum. Compare a pair of related bronze figures of tigers, with similar gold and silver inlay, but of larger size (29 cm), dated to the Warring States period, illustrated by Christian Deydier, Oriental Bronzes, XXIIIe Biennale des Antiquaires, Paris, September 2006, pages 10-21. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 16 September 2010, lot 886 Price: USD 182,500 or approx. EUR 240,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Rare Gold and Silver-Inlaid Bronze Tiger-Form Weight, Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) Expert remark: Compare the similar size (6.7 cm) and purpose, and the inlay in gold and silver. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 13 October 2021, lot 3674 Price: HKD 441,000 or approx. EUR 57,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An inscribed gold and silver-inlaid bronze weight, Han dynasty Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject matter, dynamic posture, and size (6.8 cm). Note the different decoration, albeit still employing gold and silver inlay. A