Warring States (c. 453-221 B.C.) A few hundred years of disunity gave this period its due name. This was a period of social and political unrest and feudal states, which, strangely enough, gave rise to exceptional artistic creativity. Though the vast majority of bronzes continued to be cast using traditional piece-molds, the art of bronze casting by the lost- wax technique was perfected. Inlays of gold, silver and other materials became very popular, and lavishness of decoration was a characteristic of this era. Historical Value -Antiques bring the standards of couture into the home. Antiquities are works of art or utilitarian objects from ancient times, which have normally been excavated from tombs or historical sites. The huge worldwide demand for these ancient and often beautiful pieces has led to a critical shortage and therefore prices have soared to an unprecedented higher level. Art in the Tomb - China is a land full of ancient sites awaiting investigation. Since coming to power the government of the PeopleÂ's Republic has conducted a series of model excavations of ancient tombs, dramatically increasing our fragmentary knowledge of its huge past. The aristocratic burial customs of the Han dynasty had subsequently spread to all sections of society, and by the time of Tang it was usual for every family to furnish her dead in their graves with Â'spirit figuresÂ', animals or things that have been enjoyed during their lifetime. During the early dynasties of the Shang (c.1600- c.1027BC) and the Zhou (1027-221BC), the important families maintained large subterranean tomb complexes, from which the ancestral dead were conceived to watch over the fortunes of the living. Apart from its already remarkable pottery, some of the first notable Chinese works of art are bronze vessels for use in undertaken to appease these spirits: cast by a complex piece-mould process, they bear complicated zoomorphic designs, originally magical and protective glyphs, developed into endless linear proliferations with backgrounds pf square scrolling. Many have dedicatory inscriptions inside the bowl, which are among the earliest surviving examples of the archaic Chinese script. * to the best of our knowledge, the authenticity of this piece is determined as follows: . on the base of our 20 years of experience in the business . reference literature . consultations with others experts including professional appraisers. DESCRIPTION: IMPERIAL SWORD ENGRAVED WITH DRAGON AND PHOENIX MOTIFS The dragon and the phoenix were often used together decoratively. For the Chinese, dragons represented the male, yang element and were a beneficent force of nature, even though they had fiery tempers. The mythical phoenix represented the female, yin element. The dragon was the emblem of the Chinese emperor, and the phoenix of the empress, and together the two creatures were used to symbolize marital harmony. The sword is remarkably engraved with dragon and phoenix on each side and the head handle is made of jade with stylized patterns. Traces of silver foil are also visible on the surface. Material: Bronze and Jade Dimension: Length: 17Â" Â- (43.2 cm) ; Width: 3,2Â" Â- (8.1 cm) approximately Origin: It is reportedly unearthed from an ancient tomb in Heibei Province. The elegance and stylistic patterns of sword suggest a burial of high rank. Click for Price @ GoAntiques.com
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