A GREEN JADE DAGGER WITH GILT-BRONZE 'PHOENIX' HILT HAN DYNASTY | 漢 鎏金銅銜尾鳳鳥柄玉刀

A GREEN JADE DAGGER WITH GILT-BRONZE 'PHOENIX' HILT

HAN DYNASTY

漢 鎏金銅銜尾鳳鳥柄玉刀

the dagger worked from a translucent green stone and rendered with fine grooves and ridges on both sides, framed by a crisp outline, below a gilt-bronze pommel skilfully cast to depict a ferocious bird with a stylised elongated body terminating in an incurved tail

jade 20.9 cm, 8 ¼ in.

overall 28.5 cm, 11 ¼ in.