A BRONZE RITUAL WINE VESSEL WITH ATTACHED COVER, HU

A BRONZE RITUAL WINE VESSEL WITH ATTACHED COVER, HU
EARLY EASTERN ZHOU DYNASTY, SPRING AND AUTUMN PERIOD, 6TH CENTURY BC
The pear-shaped body with a double bow-string band cast mid-body which is interrupted by a ring handle, each of the ring handles on the neck attached to one end of a link chain that passes through a loose ring attached to a small loop terminating in the forequarters of an insect cast in low relief atop the slightly domed cover with fixed ring finial, the other ends of the chains attached to the ring terminals of an arched handle, the whole raised on a shallow inward-curved ring foot, with dark mottled patina and some green encrustation, with a later-added six-character inscription on the interior of the cover
9¾ in. (24.8 cm. ) high