Lot
847, feline-form ornament, gilt-bronze, North China, 1st-2nd Century
A.D., 4 1/8 inches long
By
Carter B. Horsley
The March 16, 2017 of The Harris
Collection of Important Early Chinese Art is highlighted by a wonderful
gilt-bronze feline-form ornament from North China in the 1st-2nd
Century A.D., a bronze horse harness frontlet from Northwest China in
the 6th Century B.C., a pair of bronze tiger ornaments from circa
5th-3rd Century B.C., and a Late Shang Dynasty pole vinial from the
12th-11th Century B.C.
Lot 847 is a great gilt-bronze
feline-form ornament from North China, 1st-2nd Century A.D. It is
4 1/8 inches long. It was the cover illustration of the catalogue
for "Traders and Raiders on China's Northern Frontier" exhibition at
the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington in 1995. It has a
modest estimate of $15,000 to $25,000. It sold for $118,750
including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this
article.
The sale total was $1,113,242 with about 91 percent of the 88 offered lots selling.
Erwin Harris was born in
Yonkers, N.Y., in 1921 and studied geology at New York University and
got a post-graduate degree in aerial photomapping at Columbia
University. He landed in France by parachute on D-Day and after
the war relocated to Miami where he co-founded an advertising agency
and five years later opened his own agency and would go on to represent
the Fontainebleau Hotel, Pan American Airlines, the City of Miami and
Cuba. In 1960, he claimed that Cuba did not pay his bill and got
a court order to seize Cuban property and took control of Castro's
personal plane during his 10-day visit to New York.
Lot 818, horse harness
frontlet, bronze, Northwest China, 6th Century B.C, 8 1/2 inches wide
Lot 818
is an impressive bronze horse harness frontness from Northwest China
from the 6th Century B.C. It is 8 1/2 inches wide and is the
front cover illustration of the catalogue. It was bought from J.
J. Lally in New York in 1993 and was included in the "Traders and
Raiders on China's Northern Frontier" exhibition at the Arthur M.
Sackler Gallery in Washington in 1995. It has an estimate of
$150,000 to $250,000. It sold for $112,500.
Lot
842, Belt buckle with tiger and raptor in two parts, 3rd-2md Century
B.C., 4 3/4 inches wide, each.
Lot 842 is an impressive
bronze belt buckle in two parts with a tiger and raptor that is dated
to the 3rd-2nd Century B.C. Each part is 4 3/4 inches wide.
The lot has a modest estimate of $4,000 to $6,000. It sold for $27,500.
Lot
808, Pole finial, bronze, Late Shang Dynasty, Anyang, 12th-11th Century
B.C., 4 1/4 inches high
Lot 80 is
a Late Shang Dynasty, Anyang, bronze pole finial, 12th-11th Century
B.C. It is 4 1/14 inches high. It has a modest estimate of
$4,000 to $6,000. It sold for $35,000.
Lot 817, pair of tiger-shaped ornaments, bronze, circa 5th-3rd Century B.C., 4 3/8 inches long
Lot 817
is an attractive pair of bronze tiger-shaped ornaments, circa 5th-3rd
Century B.C. They are holding a rabbit in their jaws. They
are 4 3/8 inches long and has an estimate of $4,000 to $6,000. The lot sold for $15,000.
Lot
875 is a pair of gilt-bronze plaques of felines, Northern Wei Dynasty
(AD 386-534). Each measures 3 3/4 inches wide.
Lot 875, pair of gilt-bronze
plaques, Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 386-534). One is incised with a
striding dragon and the other with a recumbent feline with
trefoil-tufted tail and each is repeated in thread relief on the
reverse. Each measures 3 3/4 inches wide. The lot has a modest
estimate of $4,000 to $6,000. It sold for $10,625.
Lot
853, two bronze garment hooks, Warring States-Han Dynasty, 5th-3rd
Century B.C., 2 7/8 and 3 7/8 inches
Lot 853
is two bronze garment hooks that are dated to the Warring States-Han
Dynasty period, 5th-3rd Century B.C. The shorter one is 2 7/8
inches high and has a monkey centered by a turquoise paste inlay.
The longer one is 3 7/8 inches long and is topped by a dragon and
terminates in a dragon-head hook. The lot has an estimate of
$2,000 to $3,000. It sold for $2,000.
Lot 819, Bronze Ibex
ornament, 5th-4th Century B.C., 2 1/2 inches high
Lot 819
is a handsome bronze Ibex ornament from the 5th-4th Century B.C.
It is 2 1/2 inches high. It has an estimate of $1,500 to $2,500. It sold for $4,375.
Lot
822, two bronze "Doe" yoke ornaments, circa 5th-4th Century B.C., 5 1/8
high and 3 3/4 inches long
Lot 822 has two bronze "Doe" yoke
ornaments circa 5th-4th Century B.C. One is standing and is 5 1/8
inches high and the other is 3 3/4 inches long. It has an
estimate of $2,000 to $3,000. It sold for $6,250.
Lot
841, gilt-bronze belt plaque of a kneeling camel, 3rd-2nd Century B.C.,
3 3/8 inches wide
Lot 841
is a belt plaque in gilt bronze of a kneeling camel from the 3rd-2nd
Century B.C. It is 3 3/8 inches wide. It has an estimate of
$2,000 to $3,000. It sold for $6,000.
Lot 860, pair of
gilt-bronze belt plaques, each 4 1/4 inches wide, North China
Lot 860 is a handsome pair of
gilt-bronze belt plaques from North China that are each 4 1/4 inches
wide. It is dated 3rd-2nd Century B.C., and has an estimate of $6,000 to $8,000. It sold for $27,500.
Lot 837, dagger,
bronze, Northwest China, 7th-6th Century B.C., 10 3/4 inches
Lot 837 is a very attractive bronze dagger from Northwest Chna, 7th-6th
Century B.C. The handle has stacked dragon heads. It is 10
3/4 inches long. It was included in the "Traders and Raiders on
China's Northern Frontier" exhibition in 1995 at the Arthur M. Sackler
Gallery in Washington, D.C. It has an estimate $6,000 to $8,000. It sold for $13,750.
Lot
832, two bronze belt hooks, Northeast China, 6th Century B.C., 4 1/8
and 2 3/8 inches long
Lot 832
has two bronze belt hooks from Northeast China, 6th Century B.C.
One is 4 1/8 inches long and the other is 2 3/8 inches long. The
lot has an estimate of $2,000 to $3,000. It sold to Carter B. Horsley for $1,750.
