QIANLONG CAST SIX-CHARACTER MARK WITHIN A SQUARE AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)

The decorative plantain blades on the neck and near the foot, echo features of ritual vessels of the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Compare to a gilt-splashed bronze vase with lug handles of larger size (17 cm.), with almost identical plantain leaves applied on both the neck and foot, which is illustrated in Chinese Art: The Minor Arts, London, 1963, p. 149, no. 67.