12th Mar, 2026 11:00
The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers Part 2
60
A SET OF FOUR EXCEEDINGLY RARE BRONZE KNIVES WITH JADE POMMELS, EASTERN ZHOU DYNASTY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
€7,500
€15,000
A buyer’s premium of 30.00% (including VAT) applies to the hammer price of this lot if your bid is successful.
Published: Jean-Paul Desroches (ed.) et al, Two Americans in Paris: A Quest for Asian Art, Paris, 2016, p. 75, no. 164.
Exhibited:
1. Pointe-à-Callière Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Montréal, 17 November 2016-19 March 2017.
2. Kimbell Art Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Fort Worth, Texas, 4 March-19 August 2018.
China, 4th-3rd century BC. Each knife composed of a slender, flat blade with a slight sweeping profile, beveled on one edge and terminating in a curved point, seamlessly extending to a thin shaft. The handle mounted with a jade pommel in the form of a perforated, coiled ring with a serrated profile, its surface finely decorated on both sides with high-relief C-shaped curls, and joined to the blade by a gilt fitting. The semi-translucent stone of a whitish tone resulting from extensive natural alteration. (4)
Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, with ancient wear. The bronze blades with inherent casting irregularities and distinct traces of corrosion. Light warping and minor nibbling along the edges. Some areas of malachite encrustation around the gilt fittings. The jade elements with natural imperfections, one of them with minor evidence of breakage, with associated old fills. Few small nicks and occasional minuscule chips. The surface with small areas of soil encrustation.
Weight: 223.4 g (total)
Dimensions: Length 25.9 cm to 28.1 cm
Beyond its practical function, the use of jade in such bronze elements reflects the high status of its owner, as these warfare accessories served also as visible symbols of prestige and power. These accessories were employed in both everyday and ceremonial contexts, integrating them into the visual language of authority characteristic of Eastern Zhou nobility.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2024, lot 1051
Price: HKD 3,024,000 or approx. EUR 339,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A jade-hilt bronze knife and a bronze-inset jade scabbard, late Spring and Autumn period to Western Han dynasty, c. 570 BC-8 AD
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving with similar ‘taotie’ decoration and color of the calcified stone. Note the smaller size of the jade-hilt bronze knife (16 cm) and that the lot comprises an additional bronze-inset jade scabbard.
Published: Jean-Paul Desroches (ed.) et al, Two Americans in Paris: A Quest for Asian Art, Paris, 2016, p. 75, no. 164.
Exhibited:
1. Pointe-à-Callière Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Montréal, 17 November 2016-19 March 2017.
2. Kimbell Art Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Fort Worth, Texas, 4 March-19 August 2018.
China, 4th-3rd century BC. Each knife composed of a slender, flat blade with a slight sweeping profile, beveled on one edge and terminating in a curved point, seamlessly extending to a thin shaft. The handle mounted with a jade pommel in the form of a perforated, coiled ring with a serrated profile, its surface finely decorated on both sides with high-relief C-shaped curls, and joined to the blade by a gilt fitting. The semi-translucent stone of a whitish tone resulting from extensive natural alteration. (4)
Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, with ancient wear. The bronze blades with inherent casting irregularities and distinct traces of corrosion. Light warping and minor nibbling along the edges. Some areas of malachite encrustation around the gilt fittings. The jade elements with natural imperfections, one of them with minor evidence of breakage, with associated old fills. Few small nicks and occasional minuscule chips. The surface with small areas of soil encrustation.
Weight: 223.4 g (total)
Dimensions: Length 25.9 cm to 28.1 cm
Beyond its practical function, the use of jade in such bronze elements reflects the high status of its owner, as these warfare accessories served also as visible symbols of prestige and power. These accessories were employed in both everyday and ceremonial contexts, integrating them into the visual language of authority characteristic of Eastern Zhou nobility.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2024, lot 1051
Price: HKD 3,024,000 or approx. EUR 339,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A jade-hilt bronze knife and a bronze-inset jade scabbard, late Spring and Autumn period to Western Han dynasty, c. 570 BC-8 AD
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving with similar ‘taotie’ decoration and color of the calcified stone. Note the smaller size of the jade-hilt bronze knife (16 cm) and that the lot comprises an additional bronze-inset jade scabbard.
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Auction: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers Part 2, 12th Mar, 2026
Online Catalog: Jump to the Online Catalog
It is with great pleasure that we present the second part of the Sam and Myrna Myers Collection — an extraordinary ensemble that has traveled across continents and inspired scholars, connoisseurs, and collectors alike. It is, without question, one of the most significant and important collections ever entrusted to this gallery. Learn more.
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