Although the shape of the bowls is comparable to that of Song ceramic bowls, solid gold vessels are rarely seen in China proper. In the 1950's and 60's, caches of gold and silver objects were discovered at the Xixia town of Gaoyoufang, Linhexian, in Inner Mongolia, that may provide a clue to the provenance of these bowls. The caches buried hurriedly in pits, included many personal ornaments, a number of vessels and a small seated figure. Two bowls with flaring foot and engraved bird and flower ornament and a lobed cup and stand are among the most important of the finds from Gaoyoufang, Wenwu, 1987, no. 11, p. 66, figs. 3, 4 and 7. The Xixia were a people who occupied the northwestern border regions. During the Song they controlled twenty-three districts in present-day northern Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia. When the Jin invaded north China in the early part of the 12th Century, the Xixia fought with the Liao against them, but were defeated. In the 13th Century they were again swept aside by the Mongol invasion.

A similar pair was sold in these rooms, June 1, 1990, lot 52A.