RARE CHINESE WARRING STATES INLAID BRONZE HOOK - XRF

c. 475 BC - 221 BC. Warring States Period. A bronze hook with silver and gold inlay. The piece comprises an arched shaft with pairs of intertwined dragons, a slender neck and a hook formed by a small dragon’s head with carefully picked out details. The reverse features two buttons decorated with geometric designs. Dragons are a symbol of power, strength and good fortune in Chinese art. The Warring States Period was an era of Chinese history characterised by an extensive and ongoing conflict between a multitude of statelets and kingdoms which ultimately culminated in the Qin state's victory and the first unification of China into a single empire. In order to confirm its authenticity, this piece has undergone X-Ray Fluorescence analysis. The samples collected show the chemical composition to reflect the typical metal contents of the described period, whilst also showing no modern trace elements in the patina. For a comparable piece recently sold at Christie's for 62,500 USD see https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6306306 Provenance; Property of a Central London gallery, acquired from an established English collection; formerly acquired in Hong Kong, Hollywood Antique Center in the early 1990s. Size: L:97mm / W:10mm ; 45g