Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0274
Jin Jurchen Warrior Signed Suit of Iron Plate Armor
JIN DYNASTY, EARLY 13TH CENTURY A.D.
1 1/8 - 4 1/4 in. (8.5 kg total, 3-11.1 cm).
A complete suite of rectangular iron plates to form a protective coat; the plates provided with a series of holes close to the long edges by which they were laced together into articulating panels; one plate with inscription in Chinese script recording: 'first month of the Datong era / control of the propagation of Armour. Yanhui'. [894]
Provenance
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.
Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12051-216403.
Literature
Cf. Thordeman, B., Armour from the battle of Wisby, 1361, Malmo, 1939 (London, 2001), pp.245-264; Artemyeva, N., Prokopets, S., ‘Defensive weapons of the Jurchen warrior’ in Russian Archaeology, No. 1-2012, pp.129-142.
Footnotes
The Datong Era (大同, 1224–1233) is a name used for the reign of Puxian Wannu, a Jurchen warlord who established the Eastern Xia Dynasty in 13th century China. However, the war with the Jurchen states took more than 30 years: having first invaded the Jurchen borders in 1211, the Mongols finally defeated the Jin Empire only in 1234, while the Eastern Xia fell in 1246.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0274
Jin Jurchen Warrior Signed Suit of Iron Plate Armor
Estimate £8,000 - 10,000€9,280 - 11,600 (for guidance only)$10,800 - 13,500 (for guidance only)
RELATED LOTS
-
Luristan Bronze Arrowhead
Circa 13th-7th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £169
Including barbed, leaf-shaped and other types, all tanged. 196 grams total, 13-17.7 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. -
Migration Period Iron Sword with Rock Crystal, Gold and Garnet Sword Bead
5th-6th century A.D.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £600
Comprising a double-edged blade with pointed tip, battle nicks to both cutting edges; short bronze guard and a long tang; accompanied by a facetted rock crystal hilt pendant with a granulated gold mount above, set with a garnet cabochon; Eastern Roman or Alano-Gothic. 750 grams, 4-91.5 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12041-216428.
A characteristic type of the Migration period, originally used by nomadic people such as the Alans and Sarmatians. An important element of these swords was the presence (in tombs) of amber or rock crystal fittings, which some authors have identified being part of the pommel (Zasetskaya), and others as pendants hanging from the hilt of the sword. Interestingly the sword of grave 9 from the Necropolis of Novohryhorivka is decorated with a similar pendant, made of amber and fitted with a silver mount decorated with a filigree border. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Piriform body with band of impressed roundels to the equator, domed filler-hole, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 564 grams, 11.3 cm
From a specialist collection of militaria, London, UK, collected 1990s onwards. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.
Apart from the use of siphons or manual flame-throwers called cheirosiphona, special corps of Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.