Sotheby's, 10 APRIL 2006, HONG KONG
A very fine and important Imperial jade-hilted ceremonial sabre and scabbard
mark and period of Qianlong
Estimate 8,000,000 — 12,000,000 HKD
1,031,360 - 1,547,040 USD
LOT SOLD. 46,040,000 HKD (5,935,477 USD) (Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium)
Quote:
A very fine and important Imperial jade-hilted ceremonial sabre and scabbard
mark and period of Qianlong
the elongated 'S'-shaped sabre fitted with a white jade handle terminating in a rounded pommel, ornately carved in Moghul style along the spine with two long serrated-edged leaves with central stylised floret, issuing on each side a six-petalled flower on a leafy stem, the centre of the flower drilled and threaded with a beaded tassel (main stone now missing), the opposing end carved with stylised leaf lappets and embellished with an intricate gilt metal sword-guard seperating the slender blade cast in relief with floral scrolls and two free cast dragons, the steel blade decorated near the hilt with inlaid gold, silver and copper wire, one side with the poetic two-character name, Bao Teng (Soaring Treasure), and five-character inventory number Tian zi shiqi hao (Imperial number seventeen), the reverse with a cartouche of a dragon writhing among clouds, depicting the sabre's name, and the Qianlong four-character mark in silver, the blade indented on each side with a long groove, tapering to the gently upturned tip, the scabbard formed of wood with a trefoil-diaper lacquered jintaopi (peach-tree bark) veneer, bound with pierced gilt-metal bands for hanging, with original attachments, each with a moveable dragon to both sides, set between similarly cast mounts protecting the mouth rim and tip, 87.7cm., 34 1/2 in.
|