EARLY WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY (CIRCA 1100-770 BC)

Details

A RARE BRONZE POURING VESSEL, ZUN OR GUANG
Early Western Zhou dynasty (circa 1100-770 BC)
Of animal shape, raised on four legs, cast in low relief with an abstract bird pattern, its wings behind the highly stylised head, comprising a short beak and eyebrow behind its large eye, all on a leiwen ground, stopping above the feet in a narrow band of small rectangular bosses, the bronze with an even slightly mottled pale green patina
5 1/8 in. (13 cm.) high

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

Acquired in July 1993.

For a very similar Shang example found in Shanghai, compare Robert W. Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, p. 419, fig. 74.3. The principle motif of the three figures shown on that page is a large bird, whose partial dissolution gave rise to less easily deciphered motifs of another zun in the Sackler collection. The author further mentions that the great majority of the four-legged zun are of Southern style or provenance, or both.

The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C101x74 is consistent with the dating of this lot.

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