A RARE GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF A CHILONG, TANG DYNASTY
China, 618-907. Finely cast striding in suspended movement with the right front leg raised with spread claws, showing a fierce expression with the mouth open revealing sharp fangs and a curved tongue, the long sinuous tail towering above the body with an elongated neck of similar shape as the tail.

Provenance: Collection of Mr. J. Potter, US East Coast. A notable Canadian private collection in Toronto, acquired from the above. A copy of a signed appraisal by Dan Klein, Director of the Petit Musee, Montreal, Member of the Appraisal Institute of America, addressed to the present owner, dated 24 October 2000, confirming the dating of this piece and valuing it at USD 10,000, accompanies this lot. Note that this piece is one of two related gilt-bronze figures acquired by the previous owner, the first with a separate appraisal by Dan Klein of Petit Musee, dated 7 February 2001, and sold in these rooms on 6 March 2021, lot 428. Although related, the two figures are not a pair, were acquired separately by the same previous owner, Mr. J. Potter, and were the only two figures of this group in his collection.
Condition: Very good condition commensurate with age. Extensive wear, minor weathering and deterioration, light scratches, few minuscule nicks and dents here and there. Remains of old varnish coating. Areas of fine, natural malachite-green and copper-red patina with expected encrustations.

Weight: 330.5 g
Dimensions: Height 12 cm, Length 12 cm

Literature comparison: A related gilt bronze dragon was exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum in 1997 and published in the exhibition catalog, China: 5,000 Years, Innovation and Transformation in the Arts, 1998, on the cover and color plate no. 59.

Auction result comparison: A related gilt bronze dragon was sold by Christie's New York in Fine Chinese Archaic Bronzes, Ceramics and Works of Art on 20 September 2002, lot 236, for USD 31,070. A closely related Tang-dynasty gilt bronze dragon, from the same provenance as the present lot, was sold in these rooms in Fine Chinese Art, Buddhism and Hinduism on 6 March 2021, lot 428, for EUR 18,300.

唐代罕見銅鎏金螭龍
中國，618-907年。精銅通體鎏金，金色燦爛。螭龍造型蒼勁有力，獸首高昂，右前腿大步張開，大嘴張開，露出鋒利的獠牙和彎曲的舌頭，長長的蜿蜒尾巴高聳於身體上方。

來源：美國東海岸Mr. J. Potter收藏。加拿大多倫多知名私人收藏，購於上述收藏。隨附一份Dan Klein 簽名的描述文件副本。Dan Klein 是蒙特利爾Petit Musee美術館館長，他也是美國評估學會會員。文件上注明收件人為現在的藏家，時間爲2000年10月24日，當時的估價為 USD 10,000。請注意，這件拍品是前藏家購得的兩件銅鎏金造像之一，第一件由 Petit Musee 的 Dan Klein 於 2001 年 2 月 7 日單獨估價，並於 2021 年 3 月 6 日在本藝廊出售，拍品編號 428。 雖然相近，但這兩件並非是一對，而是 J. Potter 先生單獨購得，並且是他收藏中僅有的兩個造像。
品相：與其年代相符的良好。 大面積磨損，輕微的風化，輕微劃痕、一些微小的刻痕和凹痕。 舊清漆塗層的余留物， 良好的天然包漿。
重量：330.5 克
尺寸：高12 厘米, 長 12 厘米

拍賣結果比較：一件相近鎏金銅龍售于紐約佳士得 Fine Chinese Archaic Bronzes, Ceramics and Works 2002年9月20日 lot 236，售價USD 31,070. 一件相近唐代鎏金銅龍，來自同一收藏，于本藝廊Fine Chinese Art, Buddhism and Hinduism 2021年3月6日 lot 428, EUR 18,300.