A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT LARGE PARCEL-GILT SILVER BOWL, TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)

A VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT LARGE PARCEL-GILT SILVER BOWL
TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)
The large bowl is finely worked in repoussé with three rows of overlapping lotus petals, each gilded and exquisitely chased with a pair of birds in flight confronted on a ribbon tied in four loops against a background of leafy foliate sprays amidst leafy foliage, all below a further row of smaller repoussé petals that alternate with clusters of stamen below slender lancelot leaf tips that point towards the everted rim. The center of the interior is chased with a large medallion depicting eight birds in flight against a background of leafy foliate sprays as they encircle a ribbon tied in four loops with trailing ends.
9 5/8 in. (24.5 cm.) diam.; weight 1052 g