A PAIR OF GILT-BRONZE RECTANGULAR BELT PLAQUES, 3RD-2ND CENTURY BC
North China. Each plaque is cast in relief with a recumbent stag, its prominent antlers, swept tail, and bent legs framing the noble animal's muscular body, all within a double rope border. Each has three attachment loops on the reverse which bears a woven pattern indicating that the plaque was cast using the lost-wax/lost-textile process.

Provenance: Drouot Estimations, 24 May 2013, Sale no. 1431. French private collection, by repute acquired from the above.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear to gilt. Fine patina with malachite and cuprite encrustations as well as ancient soiling. One plaque with a drilled hole.

Weight: 91.4 g and 86.5 g
Dimensions: Size 10.3 x 4.8 cm and 10.5 x 4.9 cm

Lost-wax casting is the process by which a duplicate metal sculpture is cast from an original. Intricate works can be achieved by this method. The oldest known example of this technique is a 6,000-year-old amulet from the Indus Valley Civilization, but it did not appear in northern China until the 6th century BC. Materials other than wax can be used, including textile.

Literature comparison: Similar plaques have been found at sites associated with the Xiongnu. A related pair is illustrated by J. Rawson and E. C. Bunker, Ancient Chinese and Ordos Bronzes, Oriental Ceramic Society, Hong Kong, 1990, pp. 346-47, no. 225.

Auction result comparison: Compare a pair of closely related gilt bronze rectangular belt plaques, also dated 3rd-2nd century BC, with similar double-rope borders, also depicting ungulates, and with related woven pattern to reverse indicating use of the lost-wax technique, at Christie's New York in The Harris Collection: Important Early Chinese Art on 16 March 2017, lot 860, sold for USD 27,500.

公元前三至二世紀一對四方帶鈎鎏金銅牌
中國北方。每塊銅牌上都可見臥著的雄鹿，突出的鹿角、後揚的尾巴和彎曲的腿體現了雄鹿的矯健，表現生動。四周繩紋邊框。背面有三個連接環，帶有編織圖案，表明飾板是使用失蠟法鑄造的。

來源：Drouot拍賣行，2013年5月 24日, 編號 1431；法國私人收藏，據説購於上述拍賣行。
品相：狀況極好，與其年齡相符。 鎏金廣泛磨損。 孔雀石綠色和赤色結殼，有包漿及舊時污漬。 其中一塊帶有鑽孔。

重量：分別為91.4克與86.5 克
尺寸：分別爲10.3 x 4.8 厘米 與10.5 x 4.9 厘米

拍賣結果比較：一對方形帶鈎鎏金銅牌，公元前三至二世紀，相似繩紋，同樣使用了失蠟法，見紐約佳士得 The Harris Collection: Important Early Chinese Art 2017年3月16日, lot 860, 售價USD 27,500。