LATE MING-EARLY QING DYNASTY

This archaistic vessel is based on archaic bronze prototypes, such as the zun of very similar form with a bail handle, dated 2nd century BC-AD 2nd century, in the Brooklyn Museum, illustrated by C. Deydier, Chinese Bronzes, Paris, 1980, p. 108, no. 79. A slightly earlier bronze vessel of goose or duck form, with a handle terminating in animal heads, was included in the International Exhibition of Chinese Art, London, 1935-36, no. 134, pl. 11, and a Warring States example in burnished earthenware, also without a handle, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is illustrated by S. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, 1989 ed., p. 31, fig. 26. Compare, also, the line drawing of a similarly decorated bronze ewer, purported to be of Zhou date, illustrated by C.A.S. Williams, Outline of Chinese Symbolism & Art Motives, 1976, p. 49.

A bronze pouring vessel of similar shape, but dated to the Song dynasty, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, is illustrated by R. Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, London 1990, p. 17, pl. 4. Another similar vessel was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 08 October 2010, lot 2720.