An archaic bronze ritual food vessel, ding

Warring States Period

Warring States Period
The vessel of globular form, supported by three legs, the shoulder with two upright rectangular loop handles, the exterior decorated with friezes of interlocking zoomorphic geometric spirals and stylised dragons, the patterns repeated on the domed cover surmounted by three ring knobs, the bronze with a green patina and patches of malachite encrustration. 28cm (11in) high.

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Provenance: acquired from R & V Tregaskis, Sydney, on 5 May 2000, no.1518
The Reid Collection

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A similar but larger ding in the Avery Brundage Collection is illustrated by R.L.Lefebvre d'Argencé, Ancient Chinese Bronzes, Berkeley, 1966, pl.39; a similar but larger bronze ding vessel, Eastern Zhou dynasty, was sold at Christie's New York, 22 April 1999, lot 191.