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Lot Essay
A lei of very similar shape and with identical decoration, but without handles, is illustrated by J. Rawson in the catalogue, The Bella and P.P. Chiu Collection of Ancient Chinese Bronzes, p. 86, no. 32.
Compare, also, the fou of this type illustrated by J. So, Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, 1995, vol. III, pp. 206-209, no. 31, which is decorated with variant dragon bands which also have flat-cast S-shaped dragons with a head at each end and raised bosses for the eyes and body junction. The dragons, however, are stylistically a bit different, as are those on a lei and two fou from the Worcester Art Museum, Shangdong Ju Xian Tianjingwang and the Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, respectively, figs. 31.1, 31.2 and 31.3. The dragons on the Shangdong Ju Xian Tianjingwang example, which is dated to the early 7th century B.C., are the most similar to those on the present jar, although the shape is more rounded and squat and the width of the bands is more varied.
Compare, also, the fou of this type illustrated by J. So, Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, 1995, vol. III, pp. 206-209, no. 31, which is decorated with variant dragon bands which also have flat-cast S-shaped dragons with a head at each end and raised bosses for the eyes and body junction. The dragons, however, are stylistically a bit different, as are those on a lei and two fou from the Worcester Art Museum, Shangdong Ju Xian Tianjingwang and the Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, respectively, figs. 31.1, 31.2 and 31.3. The dragons on the Shangdong Ju Xian Tianjingwang example, which is dated to the early 7th century B.C., are the most similar to those on the present jar, although the shape is more rounded and squat and the width of the bands is more varied.