A RARE GILT-BRONZE BELL, ZHONG

Details

A RARE GILT-BRONZE BELL, ZHONG
QIANLONG SIX-CHARACTER MARK INSCRIBED IN A LINE AND OF THE PERIOD

Heavily cast, the tapering, rounded body cast in high relief with alternating bands of bosses and archaistic motifs set between single ribs and interrupted on two sides by a rectangular panel enclosing an inscribed tablet raised on a lotus base and surrounded by foliate scroll, one inscribed with the nianhao, the other with two characters, Yi zhe, the lowest register cast with two large discs separating pairs of archaistic motifs, the flat top surmounted by a four-sided fretwork handle
12 3/8in. (31.4cm.) high

Lot Essay

The two characters,Yizhe, refer to a classical pitch corresponding in function to G-sharp

This bell would have been one of sixteen bells, each with its own tone, which made up a bianzhong. These were suspended from a rack, and all were similar in size, shape and design. For such a set see the bianzhong illustrated by Wan Yi, et al., Daily Life in the Forbidden City, Hong Kong, 1989, pl. 43, where it is noted that the timbre of the bells "is melodious and mellow, with a mystical quality"

Two other gilt-bronze bells of this type, but of Kangxi date, were sold in these rooms, December 2-4, 1984, lot 359 and November 29-30, 1984, lot 554