China, 475 BC to 220 AD. Each finely modeled in the form of a feline mask extending in a gentle curve to a socket of oval section terminating in three triangular points, the face with bulging eyes and a prominent snout.

Provenance: A French private collection, acquired in Hong Kong during the 1980s. Galerie Archaia, Lyon, France, 2011. A French private collection built between ca. 1980 and 2012, acquired from the above. A copy of the original invoice from Galerie Archaia, Lyon, dated 10 November 2011, describing the present lot as a pair of gilt bronze animal-head chariot fittings from the Warring States period, accompanies this lot.
Condition: Fine condition, commensurate with age. Signs of weathering, traces of malachite and cuprite encrustations, soil encrustations, small nicks, and light scratches. The gilt particularly well preserved.

Weight: 171.7 g (excl. base) and 366.2 g (incl. base), 164.4 g (excl. base) and 372.4 g (incl. base)
Dimensions: Length 7.7 cm and 7.7 cm

With two modern metal stands. (4)

Excavations have revealed that these intriguing fittings are chariot ornaments once used to crown the curved ends of the yoke that was fitted around the horse's neck. Similar tiger fittings, either gilt-bronze or gilt and silvered bronze, were excavated in the Han tombs of Mancheng, Heibei province. See the excavation report, Mancheng Hanmu Fajue Baogao (Excavation of the Han tombs at Mancheng), volume 1, Beijing, 1980, pages 322-3, fig. 219-1 for illustration and fig. 215 for a reconstructed diagram showing where these fittings were originally placed.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related example included in the exhibition Inlaid Bronze and Related Material from Pre-Tang China, Eskenazi, London, 1991, cat. no. 23.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 28 July 2022, lot 3039
Price: HKD 44,100 or approx. EUR 5,300 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A pair of gilt-bronze 'tiger' chariot yoke fittings, Western Han dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, decoration and size (8.5 cm). Note the condition issues.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 26 August 2021, lot 1078
Estimate: HKD 30,000 or approx. EUR 3,700 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A pair of gilt-bronze tiger-form chariot fittings, Han dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, decoration and size (8.5 cm). Note the significant condition issues.



戰國至漢代一對銅鎏金虎頭輅
中國，公元前475年至公元220年。每一個都虎頭形式精心建模，以柔和的曲線延伸到橢圓形截面的輅，終止於三個三角形點，面部大眼圓睜和鼻子突出。

來源：法國私人收藏，上世紀八十年代購於香港；法國里昂Galerie Achaia藝廊，2011年；法國私人收藏，建立於約 1980 至2012，購於上述藝廊。隨附一份里昂Galerie Archaia藝廊2011年11月10日發票複印本，描述此拍品來自戰國時期。
品相：狀況良好，風化跡象、紅綠色結殼、土壤結殼、小刻痕和輕微劃痕。鎏金保存完好。

重量：分別171.7 克 (不含底座)與366.2克 (含底座)，分別為164.4 克 (不含底座) 與372.4 g (含底座)
尺寸：分別長7.7 厘米與7.7 厘米

兩個現代金屬支架。 (4)

考古表明，這些有趣的配件是戰車裝飾品，曾經用於安裝在馬脖子上的輅彎曲端。河北省滿城漢墓出土了類似的虎形飾器，有鎏金銅或鎏金鍍銀青銅器。見考古報告，《滿城漢墓發掘報告》，卷一，北京，1980年，頁322-3，圖219-1 用於說明和圖215 的顯示了這些配件最初放置的位置。

文獻比較：
比較一件相近的例子，有相近材質《Pre-Tang China》，Eskenazi，倫敦，1991年，圖錄編號23。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2022年7月28日，lot 3039
價格：HKD 44,100（相當於今日EUR 5,300）
描述：西漢鎏金銅虎首車馬器一對
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形，裝飾和尺寸(8.5 厘米)。請注意品相問題。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2021年8月26日，lot 1078
估價：HKD 30,000（相當於今日EUR 3,700）
描述：漢鎏金銅虎首車馬器一對
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形，裝飾和尺寸(8.5 厘米)。請注意明顯的品相問題。