A RARE ARCHAISTIC BRONZE WINE VESSEL AND COVER, FANGYI, 17TH CENTURY

A RARE ARCHAISTIC BRONZE WINE VESSEL AND COVER, FANGYI
17TH CENTURY
The vessel is cast with taotie masks on a leiwen background between panels of kui dragons below the mouth and around the foot, with toothed flanges rising from the foot onto the roof-shaped cover surmounted by a block-shaped finial. The bronze has a dark green patina. The inscription cast on the base reads Shaoxing ernian Da'ning chang chen Su Hancheng jian du Jiang Shi zhu Zhide tan yong, which may be translated as: "In the second year of Shaoxing (1132), under the supervision of Officer Su Hancheng at the Da'ning workshop Madame Jiang cast [this item] for the Zhide Altar."
7 ½ in. (19 cm.) high, cloth box

Provenance

Private collection, England.

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