A LARGE BRONZE 'CATTLE HEAD' BELL, DONG SON CULTURE

A LARGE BRONZE 'CATTLE HEAD' BELL, DONG SON CULTURE

Vietnam, 500 BC-300 AD. Well cast, of flattened bell-form, the bulbous head surmounted by a curved tubular handle for suspension, decorated to the shoulder with a continuous band of concentric spiral motifs, flanked by similarly decorated raised circular appliqués. On one side, the head further decorated with raised circular bosses resembling bulging eyes. The surface with fine horizontal striations and the lower rim with a prominent band of pointed triangular teeth forming a striking sawtooth border.

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, commensurate with age. Expected wear, casting irregularities, small losses to the edges of the handle, signs of corrosion, remnants of pigment, encrustations, and signs of prolonged burial. The bronze with a rich, naturally grown patina with vibrant malachite encrustations.

Weight: 1,176 g
Dimensions: Height 24 cm

Dong Son (named for Dong Son, 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 Van Lang and Au 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.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Galerie Zacke, 21 November 2025, lot 122
Price: EUR 7,150 or approx.

EUR 7,400 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare bronze ritual buffalo bell, Dong Son culture, Vietnam, circa 500 BC-300 AD, height 25 cm.
Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of casting and similar elongated bell form, raised decorative elements, and geometric ornamentation characteristic of Dong Son bronze ritual bells. Note the similar size (22.2 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's London, 30 January 2019, lot 149
Price: GBP 5,250 or approx.

EUR 8,100 (for four) converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Four Cambodian Dong Son buffalo bells, Battambang province, probably 300 BC-300 AD.
Expert remark: Compare the related casting tradition, use of raised ornamentation, and geometric surface decoration.

Note the much smaller size (11 cm) of each bell.

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