Lot 25
RARE CHINESE 'COILED CHI-DRAGON' GOLD AND WHITE JADE PENDANT ‡
EASTERN ZHOU DYNASTY
Auction: 06 November 2026 from 10:00 GMT
Description
東周 金鏤空蟠螭紋鑲勾雲紋玉環垂飾
both sides intricately moulded in openwork with five coiled chi dragons entwined with one another, converging at the centre in a prominent dragon head with bulging eyes and an upturned snout, the opposite end of the shaft similarly moulded with a further dragon head, its jaws grasping a white jade ring carved with cloud motifs
Dimensions
9cm high overall; overall: 116.6g; estimate gold 90.2g
Provenance
Property from an important Taiwanese collection, acquired in 1980s
重要台灣私人收藏，購藏於1980年代
Footnote
Combining a delicately carved jade ring with intricate gold openwork, this piece exemplifies the sophistication of Eastern Zhou craftsmanship across diverse media. The development of lost-wax casting enabled goldsmiths to create increasingly complex forms, exemplified by the fitting’s intertwined chi dragons. Echoing the sinuous forms of the gold dragons, the jade ring is embellished with stylised cloud motifs, establishing a visual dialogue between the two materials. The interplay of the jade’s rhythmic carving and the gold’s intricate openwork creates a harmonious synthesis of complementary craft traditions. Together, these elements demonstrate the close interaction between metalworking and jade carving during the Eastern Zhou dynasty, highlighting the creative exchange of artistic ideas and the remarkable achievements of early Chinese artisans.
Pieces of this kind combining gold, jade and bronze are exceedingly rare. See an S-shaped jade dragon with gold hook moulded in the shape of a tiger head, possibly a piece surviving from the Warring States period, was excavated at Xianggangshan in 1983 and found in the tomb of the King of Nanyue and placed on his right shoulder, is now in the Museum of the King of Nanyue, Guangdong Province, published in Lin, James C. S. 2012. The Search for Immortality: Tomb Treasures of Han China. New Haven: Yale University Press, no.168, p.293. See also another openwork cast gold sword hilt decorated with interlaced dragons, Eastern Zhou dynasty, in the British Museum, accession no. 1937,0416.218. A further closely comparable gold, jade and bronze pendant, similar in the coiled chi-dragon decoration and design, dated to Eastern Zhou dynasty, late 5th - 4th century BC, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 9 April 2024, lot 3616.
此器結合雕琢精細的玉環與繁複精巧的鏤空金飾，充分展現了東周時期跨越不同材質的高超工藝水準。失蠟法鑄造技術的發展，使金工匠人得以製作造形日益複雜的器物，此金飾上相互交纏的螭龍，正是這一技術成就的體現。玉環上的龍紋以風格化的形式呈現，呼應金飾中蜿蜒盤繞的龍身，在兩種材質之間建立起視覺上的對話。玉石紋飾富0有韻律的雕刻線條，與金飾繁複細密的鏤空工藝相互映襯，形成和諧而統一的藝術效果。玉與金兩種元素的結合，不僅展現了東周時期金工與玉雕工藝之間的密切互動，也彰顯了當時藝術觀念的交流融合，以及中國早期工匠卓越的創造力與精湛技藝。
嵌玉綴金的器物極為罕見。一件帶金鉤S形玉龍，鉤首作虎頭形，或為戰國時期遺物，1983年在象崗山南越王墓出土，置於其右肩之上，現藏於廣東省南越王博物館，著錄於James C. S. Lin, 2012, The Search for Immortality: Tomb Treasures of Han China，紐黑文：耶魯大學出版社，編號168，第293頁。另可參考大英博物館藏一件東周時期的鏤空鑄金劍柄，其上飾有相互交纏的龍紋，館藏編號：1937,0416.218。另有一件與本品極為相近的金、玉、青銅組合佩飾，其設計及盤曲蟠螭紋飾均與本品相似，斷代為東周晚期（公元前五世紀末至四世紀），2024年4月9日在香港蘇富比拍賣，拍品3616。
IMPORTANT BIDDER'S NOTE:
Anyone wishing to bid on this lot will be required to pay a £3,000 deposit.
重要競投者須知：
若要競拍此拍品，我們將向您索取三千英鎊（£3,000）押金。
This lot has been imported from outside of the UK and placed under Temporary Admission. An amount in lieu of Import VAT will be charged at 5% on the hammer price.
此拍品是從英國以外地區進口，憑藉暫准進口許可證（暫准進口）在拍賣會上出售，該許可證允許這些物品暫時全部或部分免征關稅（增值稅和關稅），代替進口增值稅的金額將按落槌價的5%收取，請参閱業務規定之增值稅符號和說明部分以獲取更多資訊。