A BRONZE FIGURE OF A TORTOISE, DONG SON CULTURE
A BRONZE FIGURE OF A TORTOISE, DONG SON CULTURE
Northern Vietnam, 2nd century BC-2nd century AD. Boldly cast, the oval body raised off the ground and supported by strong limbs, the carapace finely incised with numerous spiral and geometric designs characteristic of the Dong Son culture, centered by a circular aperture to the top, the head gently raised and detailed with similarly stylized eyes and snout.
Provenance: From the private collection of Darwin Freeman, collected between 1968 and 1971, and thence by descent within the same family. Born 1946 in Idaho, United States, Darwin Freeman was a member of the armed forces and later became an avid collector. He met his wife in the mid-1960s, and the pair later relocated to her hometown of Innsbruck, Austria. In 1967, Freeman was drafted into the US Army and served in Germany and Thailand. While he was stationed at the Embassy in Bangkok, between 1969 and 1971, he actively began engaging in the exploration and collection of ancient bronzes and other works of art. Upon completing his duty, Freeman arranged for his collection to be shipped to Austria, where it remained in storage until this day.
Condition: Very good condition with expected wear, casting irregularities, traces of weathering, signs of prolonged burial, light warping. The bronze with a rich, naturally grown patina with vibrant malachite encrustations.
Weight: 513.2 g
Dimensions: Length 15.7 cm
Dong Son (named for a village in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam) was a Bronze Age culture in ancient Vietnam centered at the Red River Valley of northern Vietnam from 1000 BC until the first century AD. Vietnamese historians attribute it to the states of Văn Lang and Âu Lạc. Its influence spread to other parts of Southeast Asia, including Maritime Southeast Asia, throughout the first millennium BC. The culture long remained a mystery to Western archaeologists, and it was known only through its bronze objects, many of which were taken from burial sites. Dong Son bronze objects were exhibited in Europe for a century before their original location was even determined, and several theories and speculations over the dating methodologies of the culture continue to this day.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related elephant-shaped vessel with similar spiral designs and circular aperture, 16 cm long, dated 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD, in the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore, accession number 2007-56439.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke Vienna, 16 October 2025, lot 106
Price: EUR 15,600
Description: An exceptional bronze figure of a tortoise, Dong Son culture
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, and decorative style. Note the nearly identical size (16 cm).
A BRONZE FIGURE OF A TORTOISE, DONG SON CULTURE
Northern Vietnam, 2nd century BC-2nd century AD. Boldly cast, the oval body raised off the ground and supported by strong limbs, the carapace finely incised with numerous spiral and geometric designs characteristic of the Dong Son culture, centered by a circular aperture to the top, the head gently raised and detailed with similarly stylized eyes and snout.
Provenance: From the private collection of Darwin Freeman, collected between 1968 and 1971, and thence by descent within the same family. Born 1946 in Idaho, United States, Darwin Freeman was a member of the armed forces and later became an avid collector. He met his wife in the mid-1960s, and the pair later relocated to her hometown of Innsbruck, Austria. In 1967, Freeman was drafted into the US Army and served in Germany and Thailand. While he was stationed at the Embassy in Bangkok, between 1969 and 1971, he actively began engaging in the exploration and collection of ancient bronzes and other works of art. Upon completing his duty, Freeman arranged for his collection to be shipped to Austria, where it remained in storage until this day.
Condition: Very good condition with expected wear, casting irregularities, traces of weathering, signs of prolonged burial, light warping. The bronze with a rich, naturally grown patina with vibrant malachite encrustations.
Weight: 513.2 g
Dimensions: Length 15.7 cm
Dong Son (named for a village in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam) was a Bronze Age culture in ancient Vietnam centered at the Red River Valley of northern Vietnam from 1000 BC until the first century AD. Vietnamese historians attribute it to the states of Văn Lang and Âu Lạc. Its influence spread to other parts of Southeast Asia, including Maritime Southeast Asia, throughout the first millennium BC. The culture long remained a mystery to Western archaeologists, and it was known only through its bronze objects, many of which were taken from burial sites. Dong Son bronze objects were exhibited in Europe for a century before their original location was even determined, and several theories and speculations over the dating methodologies of the culture continue to this day.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related elephant-shaped vessel with similar spiral designs and circular aperture, 16 cm long, dated 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD, in the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore, accession number 2007-56439.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke Vienna, 16 October 2025, lot 106
Price: EUR 15,600
Description: An exceptional bronze figure of a tortoise, Dong Son culture
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, and decorative style. Note the nearly identical size (16 cm).
