China, c. 1100-771 BC. Finely worked with the elongated blade (yuan) cast in relief with the profile of a mythical beast with ruyi-shaped ears, its long sharp tongue protruding from its mouth and extending toward the tip of the blade, all bordered by crisply finished edges. The end of the yuan pierced with a rectangular chuan (aperture), the tang (nei) with a circular chuan.

Provenance: La Balaustra Antichita, Bologna. Paolo Bertuzzi, acquired from the above. A copy of a certificate of authenticity by La Balaustra Antichita, Bologna, written and signed by Giuliana Zanetti, dated 20 January 1992, and describing the piece as a ceremonial axe likely dating from the Shang dynasty, accompanies this lot. From the collection of Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022), who was a fashion stylist from Bologna, Italy. He was the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, founder of Hettabretz, a noted Italian fashion company with customers such as the Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother’s business and designed exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, USA. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than 60 years. His collection includes both archaic and contemporary art, and he edited two important books about Asian art, Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery, about a large-scale archaeological project carried out with the Italian and Indonesian governments, and Majapahit, Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, nicks and cracks, shallow surface scratches. Possibly with minor old repairs. Fine, naturally grown patina with malachite and cuprite encrustation overall.

Weight: 255.6 g
Dimensions: Length 22.8 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related bronze halberd, Western Zhou dynasty, 10^th to 9^th century, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1994.605.7.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 18 March 2009, lot 230
Price: USD 9,375 or approx. EUR 12,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An unusual bronze socketed ge-halberd blade, Western Zhou dynasty, circa 1100-771 BC



西周銅戈
中國，公元前約 1100-771 年。細長的刀刃（援）做工精細，浮雕神獸紋，有如意形耳，長而尖的舌頭從嘴裡伸出並延伸到刀尖。援端鑿一長方形孔，援末和胡上有穿繩纏柲的小孔（穿）。

來源：義大利博洛尼亞La Balaustra Antichita；Paolo Bertuzzi 1992年購於上述藝廊。隨附一份1992年1月20日 La Balaustra Antichita 出具的原始發票複印本一份，Giuliana Zanetti書寫並簽名，描述此拍品為商代禮器。Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022年) 收藏。Paolo Bertuzzi是來自義大利博洛尼亞的時尚造型師。他是 Hettabretz 的創始人 Enrichetta Bertuzzi 的兒子，Hettabretz 是一家著名的義大利時裝公司，客戶包括羅斯柴爾德家族、奧黛麗赫本和伊麗莎白泰勒。Paolo Bertuzzi 後來接手了他母親的生意並設計了獨家作品，其中一些作品在美國紐約大都會博物館服裝學院展出。六十多年來，他還是一位狂熱的古董收藏家。他的收藏包括古代和當代藝術，他編輯了兩本關於亞洲藝術的重要書籍，《Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery》-關於義大利和印度尼西亞政府合作的大規模考古項目，以及《滿者伯夷-來自被遺忘王國的傑作》。
品相：品相良好，大面積磨損、風化和侵蝕，有刻痕和裂縫、表面淺劃痕。可能有小修。精美、自然包漿，整體帶有綠色紅色結殼。

重量：255.6 克
尺寸：長22.8 厘米

文獻比較：
比較一件非常相近的公元前十至九世紀西周銅戈，大都會藝術博物館，館藏編號1994.605.7。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2009年3月18日，lot 230
價格：USD 9,375（相當於今日EUR 12,500）
描述：公元前1100-771年西周銅戈