Lot 1040. A gold-splashed bronze 'arrow' vase, Ming dynasty, 14th-16th century; 11 3/8 in. (28.8 cm.) high. Estimate USD 4,000 - USD 6,000. Price realised USD 4,375. © Christie's Images Ltd 2014 

The gold-splashed vase is raised on a spreading pedestal foot and has a compressed body cast with four flanges below stepped bands on the shoulder. The tall, cylindrical neck is encircled by a bow-string band and is cast at the top with an archaistic band of confronted elephants reserved on a leiwen ground which is repeated on the two flanking cylinders.

Provenance: The Garden Spot, San Francisco, 1987.

Exhibited: Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Censers, Vases, and "Magic" Mirrors: Chinese and Japanese Bronzes from the 15th to the 19th century, 2 February - 28 April 1991, no. 8.
The Oriental Art Gallery, London, Chinese and Japanese Bronzes from an American Private Collection, 9 - 26 November 1993.

Note: This vase was made for the game of touhu, in which the players attempted to throw arrows into the three necks of the vase. The game is an ancient one that may have begun as a drinking game, and the conduct of the game is described in the Li Ji, Book of Rites, which was written during the Warring States period, 5th-3rd century BC. The game continued to be played throughout the centuries and appears to have generated particular interest in the early part of the Ming dynasty.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, New York, 18 - 19 September 2014