Gilt-bronze Belt Plaques and Fittings with Box

Four sets of gilt-bronze belt plaques and fittings, Possibly Song or Liao dynasty with box, the decorative segments of varying sizes from 2.0 cm to 2.8 cm wide (62). Segments of belt in this form, in metal or jade, were likely influenced by the central Asia nomadic cultures, with known examples dating from as early as Han dynasty till 14th century, though more commonly in the form of plaques, such as the ones in lot 47. Each of the decorated segments in this lot is fixed with two nails to the back. Some of them are further attached to a plaque. In one of the segments remains residue of a piece of mounting leather between the segment and the plaque, which indicates how all these segments were originally assembled into belts. For a set of Liao-dynasty harness ornaments with very similar remains of mounting leather see Christie's, Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 25 September 2020, New York, sale 18823, lot 1763. To compare a group of similar buckle components from the Arthur M. Sackler collections, see Christie's, Christie's Interiors, 1 October 2010, New York, sale 2344, lot 337