AN IRON BLADE AND JADE GUARD

Late Warring States/ Western Han Dynasty

Footnotes

戰國晚期/西漢 鐵劍配饕餮紋玉劍珌

Provenance: D. David-Weill (1871-1952), no. 3058 (by repute)
Sotheby's London, February 1972, lot 57
A Western private collection
Roger Keverne Ltd., London, May 2008
A Princely collection

來源： D. David-Weill (1871-1952)，編號3058（據傳）
倫敦蘇富比，1972年2月，拍品編號57
西方私人收藏
倫敦古董商Roger Keverne, Ltd.，2008年5月
王子藏品

David David-Weill (1871-1952) was a French American banker, philanthropist, and art collector known for his significant contributions to the cultural and financial spheres of France. Born into a wealthy banking family, David-Weill pursued a successful career in finance, eventually becoming the head of the prestigious Banque Lazard. Alongside his professional endeavours, he amassed an extensive art collection.

Twelve long swords were found in the tomb of the King of Nanyue (died circa 122 BC), placed next to the body, of which five were fitted with jade accessories, some of which were still attached to the blades: see P.Y.K.Lam, Jades from the Tomb of the King of Nanyue, Hong Kong, 1991, nos. 71, 83, 88 and 91.

Compare with a very similar jade guard (zhi), Warring States Period, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware I, Hong Kong, 1995, p.204, no.171.

See a related archaic beige jade sword guard, Western Han dynasty, with remnants of the iron sword still attached, which was sold at Bonhams London, 7 June 2021, lot 425.