Lot Essay
A pou with a similar lozenge band is illustrated by Jessica Rawson, The Bella and P.P. Chiu Collection of Ancient Chinese Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1988, no. 2
Details
A RARE BRONZE WINE VESSEL AND A COVER, POU
SHANG DYNASTY
Of compressed globular shape, standing on a slightly splayed, high foot pierced with three square apertures (now patched) above a band of angular scrolls, the body decorated with two registers, the lower a band of keyfret-bordered lozenges containing raised bosses and divided by three notched, vertical flanges, the upper register with three pairs of dragons, all looking left and all with conical eyes, each pair reserved on a leiwen ground and separated by a hooked flange, the domed cover well cast with three taotie masks separated by evenly notched flanges and shown facing the lobed knop cast with cicadas above a band of taotie masks on the stem, soft green and malachite patination, patches to inside of foot--14½in. (37cm.) diam.
SHANG DYNASTY
Of compressed globular shape, standing on a slightly splayed, high foot pierced with three square apertures (now patched) above a band of angular scrolls, the body decorated with two registers, the lower a band of keyfret-bordered lozenges containing raised bosses and divided by three notched, vertical flanges, the upper register with three pairs of dragons, all looking left and all with conical eyes, each pair reserved on a leiwen ground and separated by a hooked flange, the domed cover well cast with three taotie masks separated by evenly notched flanges and shown facing the lobed knop cast with cicadas above a band of taotie masks on the stem, soft green and malachite patination, patches to inside of foot--14½in. (37cm.) diam.
Literature
Robert W. Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, 1987, no. 55