Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead Collection

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'. 8.5 kg total, 3-11.1 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.12051-216403.

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.

With geometric design on a hatched background and discoid pad to rear. 7.31 grams, 26.60 mm overall, 22.48 mm internal diameter (approximate size British X 1/2 , USA 11 3/4, Europe 26.92, Japan 25)



Acquired in the 1990s. Ex Private collection, Suffolk, UK. Property of a Kent lady collector.

Roughly spherical stone cobble with impact scar. 973 grams, 81 mm



From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

The operation of the onager (Latin for 'wild ass') is first mentioned in 353 A.D. by Ammianus Marcellinus in his Res Gestae and more fully in Vegetius's Epitoma Rei Militaris probably written in the reign of Emperor Theodosius I (378-395 A.D.).