Condition Report
Contact Information
Auction Specialist
Lot 70
Sale 2046 - Asian Works of Art
Mar 21, 2025
10:00AM ET
Live / New York
Own a similar item?
Estimate
$3,000 -
5,000
Price Realized
$14,080
Sold prices are inclusive of Buyer’s Premium
Lot Description
A Chinese Silver 'Winged Fox' Harness Ornament, Northeast China, Xianbei Tribe, Han-Jin Dynasty
汉-晉 鲜卑“飛狐”銀馬珂
汉-晉 鲜卑“飛狐”銀馬珂
Northeast China, Xianbei Tribe, Han-Jin Dynasty (1st Century BC-early 5th Century AD)
The elongated plaque is decorated in repoussé with a crouching winged fox with its head turned backward, its mouth slightly open as if showing a subtle smile; the edges having small punched holes for fastening the piece to the harness.
Note:
For a similar 'winged horse' example, see LALLY, James J. Arts of the Han Dynasty. New York: J. J. Lally & Co, 1998, no. 21; reoffered in Silver and Gold in Ancient China, 2012, no. 1.
For further examples, see BUNKER, Emma C. Nomadic Art of the Eastern Eurasian Steppes: The Eugene V Thaw and Other Notable New York Collection. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002, no. 21 and 22, p. 54-55.
帶翼的草原动物是鮮卑族南遷神話中的神獸。馬珂是马具后鞧垂下的墜飾,類似器物參見紐約藍理捷1998年圖錄西漢-東漢早期鮮卑“飛馬”銀牌(此牌2012年再次經藍理捷手釋出),與1980年吉林市榆樹老河深墓群出土的銅鎏金飛馬牌(古扶余國遺物,494年扶余被高句麗滅國)。此外,雲南省博物館藏古滇國晉寧石寨山7號墓出土有銅鎏金鳳紋馬珂,江西南昌海昏侯墓出土有同款。
與上述相比,這件“飛狐”綫條圓柔,工藝純熟,漢化明顯,年代應當更晚,但下限不低於兩晉五胡。同類紋飾,鲜卑頭(帶頭)所见較多。參見雲南省博物館藏古滇國晉寧石寨山7號墓翼虎持仙草鮮卑頭,法國吉美博物館藏九采袞帶金鮮卑頭,上海博物馆藏晋镂雕行龙纹白玉鲜卑頭,洛陽東關夾馬營東漢墓玉帶頭等。
漢晉時期,有瑞獸裝飾的帶頭稱爲鮮卑頭。這裏的鮮卑,不是古族名的鮮卑,典出《楚辭·大招》:"小腰秀頸,若鮮卑只。"。漢人王逸註:“鮮卑,袞帶頭也。言好女之狀,腰支細少,頸銳秀長,靖然而特異,若以鮮卑之帶,約而束之也。”
更多類似器物,見Emma C. Bunker著《Nomadic Art of the Eastern Eurasian Steppes: The Eugene V Thaw and Other Notable New York Collection》,紐黑文耶魯大學出版社2002年出版,第54-55頁,21-22號。
Height 3 3/4 in., 9.5 cm.
Property from the RenLu Collection, Los Angeles, California.
This lot is located in New York.



