AN ARCHAIC BRONZE VESSEL, gui, the compressed globular body with two bovine mask-head handles standing on a high flanged base with a waisted neck, the exterior decorated with five registers of raised conical studs set on an incised lozenge ground, the neck with a frieze of shallow-relief chilong dragons flanking taotie masks, below a band of stiff leaves, the base with a similar frieze divided by vertical flanges, the bronze with a dark gun-metal patina and areas of malachite encrustation, Western Zhou Dynasty

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN

Details

AN ARCHAIC BRONZE VESSEL, gui, the compressed globular body with two bovine mask-head handles standing on a high flanged base with a waisted neck, the exterior decorated with five registers of raised conical studs set on an incised lozenge ground, the neck with a frieze of shallow-relief chilong dragons flanking taotie masks, below a band of stiff leaves, the base with a similar frieze divided by vertical flanges, the bronze with a dark gun-metal patina and areas of malachite encrustation, Western Zhou Dynasty
27cm. wide

Lot Essay

The result of thermoluminescence test, Oxford 666y10, is consistent with the dating of this lot

Compare a gui, without handles, illustrated in Ancient Chinese Arts in the Idemitsu Collection, pl.16; also Rawson, The Bella and P.P. Chiu Collection of Ancient Chinese Bronzes, Catalogue, pl.19

Lot Essay

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