Three gilt bronze ferrulesEarly Warring States (475 to 221 BCE), and latereach with a box,17.2cm long, 14.2cm long, 4.3cm high (3).Provenance: 戰國早期，及其後 鎏金鳳鳥紋、盔甲武士紋、瑞獸鐏三件 及盒The 'bird' bronze ferrule is used to cap the lower end of a weapon shaft. In place of the bird it is usually where the junction of the shaft and tip is. This type of finial is generally associated with the Changsha region of Chu.pare with a ferrule of similar shape also decorated with a bird-like creature, seeMuseum of East Asian Art: Inaugural Exhibition Volume 2 Chinese Metalwares and Decorative Arts, Bath, 1993, p.38, pl.236. Zhu Fenghan,Gudai Zhongguo Qingtongqi records a line drawing of a ferrule, decorated with a bird-motif very similar to the current lot, which was excavated in a tomb dated to early Warring States. See ibid, p.261, pl.4-14. More examples can be seen in Jessica Rawson,Ancient China: Art and Archaeology, London, 1980, p.138-139, pl.106.鳳鳥紋鐏固定于柲下端，口形與柲橫截面相同，以納柲體。此形制的鐏多見與長沙地區楚國境内。比較一外形類似的銅鐏，亦以鳥紋中喙、尾突出於器身外部，見Museum of East Asian Art: Inaugural Exhibition Volume 2 Chinese Metalwares and Decorative Arts，巴斯，1993年，頁39，圖版236。朱鳳瀚著《古代中國青銅器》中一綫描鐏以鳥形裝飾，側面突出喙、尾，紋飾風格與該鐏相類，係戰國早期墓葬出土。見，朱，《古》，頁261，插圖四•一四。更多範例，見 Jessica Rawson, 《Ancient China: Art and Archaeology》, 倫敦，1980年， 頁138-139，圖版106。