Rare Qing Dynasty Jian Sword with Jade and Gilt Accents
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Exceptional and rare Chinese Qing Dynasty Jian ceremonial sword and scabbard, probably made for Imperial clan or high ranking official, the sword set with an axe shaped jade finial in white and brown jade with carved toatie motifs, above a hilt in the form of a cong accented with gilt mounts opening to tapered blade, the scabbard with copper base, set with gilt bronze qiulong dragons holding lingzhi in mouths and ringed mounts, accented with turquoise accented with five jade carved panels and fine coral end, length 65 cm. Provenance: acquired in London by the family prior to 1939, then by family descent to Sydney. ( in 2016, lot 106 gilt bronze Kubera from same family collection was sold for $78,000) catalogue note: Imperial Qing Dynasty jade handled sword sold for 48.3 million Yuan ($7.7 million), China Guardian Auctions, October 2012
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- Finial - An architectural decoration, found on the upper parts of of an object. On furniture they are usually found on pediments, canopies and shelf supports. On smaller ceramic or silver items, such as spoons, they may decorate the top of the item itself, or the lid or cover where they provide a useful handle for removal.
Finials have a variety of shapes and forms. They may be urn-shaped, baluster shaped round or spiral, but usually taper into an upper point. Many real life shapes may also be used as finials, such as pineapples, berries, pinecones, buds, lotus and acorns. Sometimes animals such as a lion are depicted, or fish and dolphins. - Ming Dynasty - The Ming Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. It succeeded the Yuan Dynasty and preceded the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, a former Buddhist monk who became a rebel leader and eventually overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, China experienced a period of relative stability and prosperity. The government was centralized and bureaucratic, with the emperor at the top of the hierarchy. The Ming Dynasty is known for its cultural achievements, including the development of porcelain, the invention of movable type printing, and the construction of the Great Wall of China.
- Qing Dynasty - The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. It was established by the Manchu people, who originated from the northeastern region of China. The Qing Dynasty was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.
- Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.
The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.
It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture.
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