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A gold and silver-inlaid bronze medallion depicting a falcon Japan, 20th Century image 1
A gold and silver-inlaid bronze medallion depicting a falcon Japan, 20th Century image 2
Lot 112

A gold and silver-inlaid bronze medallion depicting a falcon
Japan, 20th Century

12 November 2024, 11:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street

£2,000 - £3,000

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A gold and silver-inlaid bronze medallion depicting a falcon
Japan, 20th Century

of circular form with suspension loop to top, depicting a falcon perching on a branch inlaid in flat relief of gold, silver and shibuichi, the reverse engraved with inscription in Arabic
4.2 cm. max.

Footnotes

Inscriptions: ma'shuqah, 'sweetheart'.

The present lot incorporates the Japanese alloy shibuichi. Shibuichi means 'one-fourth' in Japanese, and indicates the standard formulation of one part silver to three parts copper, though this can vary considerably according to the desired effect.

Falconry was an important form of hunting for Bedouin in the Arabian Peninsula, providing a means of survival in resource-scarce lands. Its role in society, however, has changed over time, and today it is one of the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) most honoured traditional sports, with the falcon being the national emblem of the UAE. It is likely that the inscription on the reverse of the present lot is the name of a falcon.

Additional information