**Originally Listed At $250**

East Asia, China, Warring States Period, ca. 475 to 221 BCE. This is a ge or dagger-axe blade, cast from bronze and featuring the 3 rivets for hafting to a pole. The ge was an early pole weapon, with a dagger-shaped blade mounted by its tang perpendicular to the wooden shaft. This ge was made during a time of great flux in Chinese society, when kingdoms and warlords clashed over land continuously, and has developed a rich and vibrant green patina over the ages. The use of a ge in war was restricted to only this most ancient period of Chinese civilization, as such its distinctive form has come to be symbolic of this golden age. The blade was often designed as one component of a type of halberd known as a ji, a composite weapon made from a double mounting of the ge with a mao (spear) blade. This provided a greater versatility in application since a ji armed warrior could thrust with the spear point and chop or swing with the ge blade. Size: 8.25" L x 2" W (21 cm x 5.1 cm)

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#141916

Repaired from 6 pieces with visible break lines and faint adhesive residue. Losses on the tang and chips to the break lines. Heavy patina and mineral deposits throughout.