NEW YORK, NY.- A specially-curated 8-lot sale titled “Eight Treasures From a Private American Collection” will be held on March 16 at 10am at Bonhams New York.

The selection features very rare and ancient bronzes, originally created for members of the highest echelons of Chinese society, one notable offering being a rare gold and silver inlaid-bronze garment hook, daigou, from the Eastern Zhou-Warring States period that carries a pre-sale estimate of $200,000 – 300,000. The extraordinary belt hook is superbly cast and is unusually large. The hook is formed in the shape of a tiger, ferociously baring its teeth. The contours of the tiger’s form are highlighted by intricate silver and gold inlay set flush with bronze. This belt hook is an exquisite example of Warring States Period bronze design and technology. During this period, the highest quality adornments were created for the most exalted classes of the elite; bronze ornaments stood as dazzling and luxurious symbols of the individual power of royalty, nobility and warlords.

More highlights include:

· A gilt bronze support fitting from the Han dynasty (est. $20,000 – 30,000) that once served as the foot for a vessel or small piece of furniture. The fitting is exquisitely sculpted to form a very realistic figure of a bear, a symbol of strength in Han visual culture, the modelling detailing the texture of the fur and the articulation of the claws.

· A finely cast silver garment hook, daigou Western Han dynasty (est. $12,000 – 15,000), dating to the Warring States period. The belt hook is in the shape of a writhing mythical beast, the form embodying the Han belief in animals and natural phenomena as material manifestations of the spiritual world. Belt hooks were a symbol of luxury and status, used to secure robes and pants while men rode on horseback.

· A rare silvered and gilt bronze horse harness ornament, xingye from the Tang dynasty (est. $8,000 – 12,000) that is finely-cast in the shape of an apricot leaf with scrolling borders enclosing a central figure of a flying horse. The muscular steed’s form is silvered, shown galloping through the sky above a mountain. Apricot-form ornaments such as this were produced in large sets to hang pendant from the leather harnesses of horses ridden by Tang royalty, aristocrats and high-ranking officials. The fine quality of the casting and the elegant design of this xingye suggest that it was made for a particularly privileged individual. Few pieces like this have come to auction recently in the West.

Nicholas Rice, Specialist for Chinese Art at Bonhams says, “We are honored to offer this group of ancient bronzes, all of which come with excellent provenance, particularly because the collector was highly selective in forming a tightly edited group of works that are in fact exceptional examples of their type. The craftsmanship displayed in the design and construction of each work far surpasses the level of quality usually seen in analogous pieces, and given the market’s appreciation for Chinese bronzes of exceptional beauty, we feel this collection will be very enthusiastically received.”

The auction will begin at 11.45 pm.