Lot 26. An unusual silver finial, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 7.6cm., 3in. Estimate 1,000 — 1,500 GBP. Lot sold 1,250 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

heavily cast with an octagonal tubular base surmounted by a bulbous mid-section before gently tapering into a flat closed end, two holes on opposite sides for attachment. Weight 104.5g.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 84.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 84.

Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 87.

Sotheby's. Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork, Early Gold and Silver; Early Chinese White, Green and Black Wares, London, 14 May 2008 

Lot 28. A silver garment-hook, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 6.3cm., 2 1/2 in. Estimate 3,000 — 4,000 GBP. Lot sold 3,750 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

the body cast in the form of a stylised animal head with large horns and ears, finely engraved with scrolls, the slender curved shaft terminating in a bird's head hook. Weight 22.5g.

Exhibited: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 80.

Literature: Gyllensvärd, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 80.

Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 83.

Sotheby's. Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork, Early Gold and Silver; Early Chinese White, Green and Black Wares, London, 14 May 2008 

Lot 29. A small silver garment-hook, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 6.3cm., 2 1/2 in. Estimate 1,500 — 2,000 GBP. Lot sold 1,875 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

cast in the form of an animal head, flanked by larged horns or ears, the shaft issuing from the nose and terminating in a dragon's head. Weight 11g.

Exhibited: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 81.

Literature: Gyllensvärd, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 81.

Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 84.

Sotheby's. Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork, Early Gold and Silver; Early Chinese White, Green and Black Wares, London, 14 May 2008

Lot 1528. A finely cast bronze bell, bo zhong, Warring States Period, 5th century BC, 9¼ in. (23.5 cm.) high. Estimate USD 125,000 - USD 150,000. Price realised USD 194,500 © Christie's Images Ltd 2012

Of lenticular form, each side with a plain central panel flanked by alternating rows of coiled serpent bosses and interlaced dragon scroll, all within raised borders, the dragon scroll repeated in a shaped configuration below and again on the flat top below the handle formed by two confronted dragons biting the suspension loop.

Provenance: Hans Odder Collection, Germany, circa 1920s.
Sotheby's, London, 19 June 1984, lot 10.

Exhibited: Ostasiatische Kunst und Chinoiserie, Cologne, 1953.

Note: Like yong zhong, bo zhong were made for use in graduated sets, and according to J. So in Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1995, p. 381, bo zhong and niu zhong appear to have displaced the graduated set of yong zhong after the 5th century BC.

Lot 1380. A rare red gauze lady's informal summer court robe, mid-19th century. Estimate USD 8,000 - USD 12,000. Price realised USD 10,625. © Christie's Images Ltd 2016 

The gauze robe is finely woven with medallions of crane, butterfly, and peony in shades of white, blue, red, pink, purple and green, above a wide lishui stripe tossed with auspicious emblems. The sleeves are decorated with similar motifs, 54 in. (137.1 cm.) long x 76 in. (193 cm.) wide. 

Provenance: Collection of Mrs. J. O. Saul given by Mr. and Mrs. William Frey.
Gifted by the above to the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia, 1968.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art part I, 17 - 18 March 2016, New York

Lot 1381. A very rare imperial midnight-blue dragon vest, chaogua, 19th century. Estimate USD 30,000 - USD 50,000. Price realised USD 87,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2016 

The vest is finely embroidered with five-clawed dragons clutching flaming pearls amidst ruyi-form clouds and auspicious symbols, all above the lishui stripe and terrestrial diagram, and all in couched gold thread, satin stitch, and Peking knot in shades of blue, peach, and yellow on a midnight-blue ground. The detachable sleeves and collar,piling, are similarly decorated, 53 ¾ in. (136.5 cm.) long. 

Provenance: Collection of Mrs. J.O. Saul given by Mr. and Mrs. William Frey.
Gifted by the above to the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia, 1968.

Note: Chaofu, or ritual wear, was the most formal category of clothing at the Qing dynasty court. For imperial women a chaofu ensemble included a petticoat, a full-length robe with long sleeves, front overlap and shoulder projections (chaopao), an over vest (chaogua), a cape-like collar (piling) and an appropriate hat and accessories.

The Qing dynasty chaogua was adapted from the dragon-patterned sleeveless coats worn unofficially at the Ming dynasty court. The mid-eighteenth century court dress edicts assigned three styles of this garment to the upper ranking court women. All were made of dark navy blue silk and featured a center front opening held with five toggle and loop fastenings, angled shoulder seams and deeply cut armholes. The first and second styles were tailored as multi-sectioned constructions with horizontal bands of dragons, clouds and waves. The third style was full length without sections. For the empress dowager, empress and three highest ranking imperial consorts the decoration of this style of vest featured a pair of large profile long, or five-clawed dragons amid clouds above waves, on the front and back of the garment. For lower-ranking women of the imperial clan, the decoration decreased the size and increased the number of profile dragons to four on the front and two on the back, with a frontal dragon above. A third style, which could be worn by all ranks of women including the wives of nobles not related to the imperial clan and the wives of other high officials featured mang, or four-clawed dragons. 

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art part I, 17 - 18 March 2016, New York

Lot 1382. An imperial yellow satin brocade robe, chuba, the brocade, 18th century. Estimate USD 20,000 - USD 30,000. Price realised USD 22,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2016 

The side-closing chuba was tailored in Tibet from Chinese 18th century imperial yellow silk brocade, woven in gold and multi-colored threads with five-clawed dragons grasping flaming pearls and superimposed against a background of cloud clusters picked out in various shades of pink, blue, green and ochre, all above the terrestrial diagram at the hem. The collar and facing are fashioned from waves and dragons, 53 ¼ in. (135.2 cm.) long x 68 ½ in. (173.9 cm.) wide. 

Provenance: Acquired in New York, April 2005.

Note: Interaction with Tibet, which began in the 10th century, underscores the complexities of China's diplomacy and trade. After the collapse of the Tang dynasty, Tibetans established a rival dynasty, the Xia, which controlled the Gansu corridor and trade with Central Asia and the West. Although Tibetan imperial ambitions were crushed by the Yuan dynasty in the 13th century, its leaders continued to enjoy special prominence, due to the strong attachment of the Mongol court to Tantric Buddhism. In the Ming dynasty, the court renewed the Yuan practice of bestowing gifts and titles on Tibetan religious leaders and of sanctioning trade in luxury goods. Religious power politics involving Tibet and Mongolia lasted into the 17th century and imperial patronage of Tibetan Buddhism continued throughout the Qing dynasty.

Tibet, which had no indigenous silk industry, looked to China to supply these luxuries for its aristocracy and high-ranking clergy. Although some silks were manufactured specifically for the Tibetan market, many of the textiles sent to Tibet had originally been produced for the Chinese court, such as the present robe. They were often drawn from textiles amassed by the imperial household and held in reserve for such purposes. Although highly prized, garments and furnishing fabrics were often re-cut to fit Tibetan costume styles or to serve new functions, which were often at variance with their original decorative schemes and symbolic meanings. 

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art part I, 17 - 18 March 2016, New York

Lot 1383. An embroidered blue-ground dragon robe, mangpao, 19th century. Estimate USD 7,000 - USD 9,000. Price realised USD 11,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2016 

The blue ground is worked in couched gold thread and satin stitch on the front and back with five-clawed dragons confronting flaming pearls amidst shou characters and bats suspending wan emblems and double-peaches woven in shades of red, all amidst Daoist emblems. The terrestrial diagram and lishui stripe at the hem are tossed with thebajixiang (Eight Buddhist Emblems), 54 ¾ in. (139 cm.) long. 

Provenance: Property from the Bass Museum of Art, sold to benefit the acquisitions fund.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art part I, 17 - 18 March 2016, New York

Lot 1630. An embroidered blue gauze summer dragon robe, jifu, 19th century. Estimate USD 6,000 - USD 8,000. Price realised USD 13,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2012 

The blue gauze worked in couched gold thread and counted stitch with the prescribed nine five-clawed dragons, two shown full-face leaping around a flaming pearl on the front and the back while six others on the front, back and shoulders are shown reaching for the pearl, as is the ninth on the underflap, all amidst lingzhi-shaped clouds interspersed with 'precious objects' and bats, above a terrestrial diagram and lishui stripe separated by further clouds, with similar decoration repeated on the border, collar and horsehoof cuffs, 74 in. (187.9 cm.) cuff to cuff . 

Note: A similar 19th century blue-ground silk gauze jifu was sold in these rooms, 17 September 2008, lot 171. .

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art (Part I), 22-23 March 2012, New York

Terra-cotta bell-krater (mixing bowl). Attributed to Python. Late Classical, ca. 360–350 B.C. Greek, South Italian, Paestan. Terra-cotta; red-figure. Diameter 14 1/2 in. (36.8cm). Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

NEW YORK - Last week, the Metropolitan Museum of Art gave up a large painted terracotta vase that had been illegally excavated from an ancient burial ground in Italy to the district attorney. The ancient Greek vessel, a krater, shows Dionysus, god of the grape harvest, riding in a cart.

In a second bombshell, another object has been sent over to the DA this week.

A museum curator discovered that a 2,300-year-old marble sculpture on loan was possibly looted from Lebanon in the 1880s. "Upon a Met curator's discovery that this item on loan may have been stolen from government storage during the Lebanese civil war, the Museum took immediate action. We contacted the Lebanese government and the lender, we took the item off display, and we have been working with federal and state authorities, which recently involved delivering the Head of the Bull to the Manhattan DA upon its request," said the museum's spokesperson, Kenneth Waith, in a statement.

The sculpture's owners are suing for its return.

Lot 12. A bronze and gold harness fitting, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 4.5cm., 1 3/4 in. Estimate 4,000 — 6,000 GBP. Lot sold 23,300 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

composed of a thick bronze ring with three solidly cast gold animal heads attached, their raised heads framed by a furled mane and set with short twisting horns and pointed ears above bulging eyes, the curled nostrils flowing to an open mouth. Weight 127g.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 3.

Chinese Gold, Silver and Porcelain. The Kempe Collection, Asia House Gallery, New York, 1971, cat. no. 2, an exhibition touring the United States and shown also at nine other museums.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 3.

Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 3

Note: Compare a very similar bronze and gold fitting, illustrated in Simon Kwan and Sun Ji, Chinese Gold Ornaments, Hong Kong, 2003, cat. no. 60. See also Celestial Creations: Art of the Chinese Goldsmith. The Cheng Xun Tang Collection, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2007, cat. no. A29.

Lot 13. A fine and rare gold finial, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 3.3cm., 1 1/4 in. Estimate 5,000 — 7,000 GBP. Lot sold 120,500 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

cast as the head of a feline rising from a tubular finial, short twisting horns emerging from behind scrolled ears, eyes glaring beneath scrolled brows, the large snarling mouth with strong jaws, two narrow bands with scrolls and beaded borders decorating the finial, two holes at the base of the tube for attachment. Weight 23g.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 4.

Chinese Gold, Silver and Porcelain. The Kempe Collection, Asia House Gallery, New York, 1971, cat. no. 3, an exhibition touring the United States and shown also at nine other museums.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 4.

Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 4.

Note: A closely related gold feline head finial, from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Bull, was included in a number of important exhibitions; see Ancient Chinese Bronze and Chinese Jewelry, The Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, 1941, cat. no. 95; Exhibition of Chinese Art, Palazzo Ducale, Venice, 1954, cat. no. 101; and the China Institute in America exhibition Early Chinese Gold and Silver, China House Gallery, New York, 1971, cat. no. 7.

Lot 14. A gold-foil fitting, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 12cm., 4 3/4 in. long. Estimate 2,000 — 3,000 GBP. Lot sold 2,500 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

cut from paper-thin gold sheet and beaten in the shape of an animal in profile, the head facing right and with a long pointed snout, the curved body finely decorated with a dense design of intertwined dragons and snakes in repousse, glass frame. Weight 4g.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 9.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 9.

Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 8.

Note: A pair of gold plaques of this type, from the Mottahedeh collection and illustrated in The Animal in Chinese Art, London, 1968, pl. 111, was included in the China Institute in America exhibition Early Chinese Gold and Silver, China House Gallery, New York, 1971, cat. no. 3, together with another thin gold plaque with a slight design variation, pl. 4, from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Bull. S  ee further examples, one in the form of a taotie mask and one cut in the shape of a dragon with a bird's head, from private collections included in Han Wei and Christian Deydier, Ancient Chinese Gold, Paris, 2001, pls. 30- 31.  

Lot 15. A pair of gold and glass fittings, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 6.7cm., 2 5/8 in. each. Estimate 2,000 — 3,000 GBP. Lot sold 2,500 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

each of circular form and decorated with a central, slightly convex glass 'eye' beaded disc enclosed by cast bronze ring covered with a thin sheet gold and composed of three fluted bands, the back with thick malachite encrustation. Quantity: 2. Weight 147g.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 6.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 6.
Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 6.

Lot 16. A circular bronze-backed gold-foil fitting, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 8.2cm., 3 1/4 in. Estimate 800 — 1,200 GBP. Lot sold 1,000 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

the thin gold foil decorated with a design of interlinked bands of finely striated raised ropes arranged around a central whirl motif, fixed to a round, slighly convex bronze backing, the reverse with heavy malachite encrustation. Weight 73.5g.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 7.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 7.
Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 7.

Lot 17. A silver plaque, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 6.2cm., 2 3/8 in. Estimate 1,500 — 2,000 GBP. Lot sold 4,375 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

cast in a circular shape with a slightly convex surface and decorated with an elaborate design of interlaced T- and C-scrolls, the wide lines finely engraved, the reverse with a loop for attachment. Weight 45g.

Exhibited: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 1954-55, cat. no. 77.

Literature: Gyllensvärd, 1953, pl. 77.
Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 80.

Lot 21. A fine gold garment-hook, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 3.4cm., 1 3/8 in. Estimate 2,000 — 3,000 GBP. Lot sold 42,500 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

elegantly cast in a curved 'S' profile and surmounted by a goose head hook with an elongated beak, the long slender neck gracefully tapering into a wide and slightly domed body, a round button set on the back for attachment . Weight 34g.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 12.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 12.
Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 12.

Note: Unlike garment hooks cast in bronze or iron, gold garment-hooks are rare. Four gold garment-hooks similarly rendered with realistically portrayed goose heads were found among the burial goods in the tomb of the Marquis Yi of Zeng at Sui Xian in Hubei province, illustrated in Zhongguo meishu quanji. Gongyi meishu bian, vol. 10, Beijing, 1987, pl. 19.

Lot 23. A parcel-gilt silver garment-hook, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 16.7cm., 6 5/8 in. Estimate 3,000 — 4,000 GBP. Lot sold 8,125 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

the wide, gently curved body ending in a simple hook and cast with an openwork design of a pair of confronting birds surrounded by interlocking scrolls, surmounted by the head of a stylised beast. Weight 119.5g.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 82.

Chinese Gold, Silver and Porcelain. The Kempe Collection, Asia House Gallery, New York, 1971, cat. no. 35, an exhibition touring the United States and shown also at nine other museums

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 82.
Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 85.

Sotheby's. Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork, Early Gold and Silver; Early Chinese White, Green and Black Wares, London, 14 May 2008 

Lot 24. A silver garment-hook, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 12.6cm., 5in. Estimate 3,000 — 4,000 GBP. Lot sold 5,250 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

the curved, semi-circular shaft ending in a dragon's head hook and decorated with an overall design of finely chased and engraved volutes and triangles alternating with bands and scales with ring-punched details. Weight 128gr.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 78.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 78.

Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 81.

Sotheby's. Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork, Early Gold and Silver; Early Chinese White, Green and Black Wares, London, 14 May 2008 

Lot 25. A silver garment-hook, Warring States Period (475-221 BC), 9.8cm., 3 7/8 in. Estimate 3,000 — 4,000 GBP. Lot sold 3,750 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's

of slender curved form tapering to a small hook superbly cast in the shape of a bird's head, the body decorated with an engraved design of volutes and triangles. Weight 27.5g.

Exhibited: Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 1954-55, cat. no. 79.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvärd, Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1953, pl. 79.

Chinese Gold and Silver in the Carl Kempe Collection, The Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn, Ulricehamn, 1999, pl. 82.

Sotheby's. Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork, Early Gold and Silver; Early Chinese White, Green and Black Wares, London, 14 May 2008