ritual wine vessel

Until about 4000 years ago, various peoples occupied the regions along the Yellow River and the Yangzi, and the east coast of modern China. The earliest documented dynasty was the Shang (around 1600-1050 BC), based in central north China. In this period society developed a religious system and written records. The material culture of the Shang dynasty is notable for its cast bronze ritual vessels. These are the only examples of early metalwork to be cast from piece moulds rather than assembled from sheets of beaten metal. Casting was... [Lire la suite]

The Fu Yi You. A  bronze ritual wine vessel, late Shang Dynasty, 13th-11th century BC. Photo Sotheby's of oval section, the wide pear-shaped body raised on a splayed foot encircled by two bowstring bands, decorated around the neck with a band of twelve repeated eyes between two borders of circles, centered on two sides by animal-masks in high relief and interrupted by loops attached to the twisted rope-like overhead arch handle, the slightly waisted domed cover decorated with a similar band of kui dragons,... [Lire la suite]

The Fu Yi Zhi. A bronze ritual wine vessel, early,Western Zhou Dynasty, 11th-10th century BC. Photo Sotheby's the elegantly curved slender vessel rising from a high splayed foot and surmounted by a trumpet-like mouth, the underside of the zhi decorated in thread relief with a turtle motif, cast inside the vessel with a two-character inscription, the surface with a light malachite encrustation, with fitted stand (2). Height 6 3/4 in., 17 cm. Estimation 15,000 — 20,000 USD Provenance: Private Japanese collection. ... [Lire la suite]

The Ji Zu Yi Zun. A Magnificent And Important Bronze Ritual Wine Vessel, Late Shang Dynasty, 13th-11th Century BC. Photo Sotheby's of cylindrical form with four heavy notched flanges on the sides, boldly cast around the slightly bulging waist with two taotie masks with rounded eyes, ‘C’-shaped horns, fangs and clawed arms, the splayed foot decorated with further taotie masks with rectangular slit pupils, upright horns and hooked jaws above the molded foot ring, the flaring neck with four upright blades filled with... [Lire la suite]

The Fu Ding Jue. A bronze ritual wine vessel, late Shang Dynasty, 13th-11th century BC. Photo Sotheby's the deep ‘U’-shaped body rising from three blade-like legs, decorated in relief with a band of four stylized dragons with raised central eyes and thread-like bodies, reserved on a leiwen ground, interrupted on one side by a loop handle issuing from a bovine head, the rim set with a pair of posts adorned by mushroom caps with sunken whorl patterns, a three-character inscription underneath the handle, the surface with... [Lire la suite]

The Rong Fu Jue. A bronze ritual wine vessel. Late Shang Dynasty, 13th-11th century BC. Photo Sotheby's The deep 'U'-shaped body supported on three splayed blade-like legs, decorated on each side with a frieze of taotie mask with prominent eyes on a fine leiwen ground, below a band of scale motifs between two borders of circles, centered by a vertical flange and a loop handle issuing from a bovine head, the long spout and pointed tail forming the rim, surmounted by a pair of posts capped by conical tops with sunken whorl... [Lire la suite]

Property From a Private Collection. A Rare Molded Blue and White Barbed Rim Dish, Yuan Dynasty, 14th Century. Estimate: 200,000 - 300,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's The Chinese Works of Art Department in New York will be holding a four-session, two day sale of close to 400 lots. Building on the success of previous sales, we continue to offer property from private collections that have not been seen on the market for many years.  This season’s offerings include Yuan Fu Yi jue, An Important and Very Rare Bronze Ritual Wine Vessel... [Lire la suite]

A bronze ritual wine vessel (zun), Early Western Zhou Dynasty, 11th-10th century BC. Photo: Sothebys. rising from a splayed foot to an everted rim, the central section cast in relief with two taotie masks with bulging eyes on a leiwen ground divided by narrow flanges between double bowstring bands, the dark brownish-green patina with some light malachite encrustation, Japanese wood box and cover (3). Height 10 in., 25.4 cm. Estimation 40,000 — 60,000 USD  An old Japanese... [Lire la suite]

A magnificent and brilliantly enamelled wucai 'fish' jar. Jiajing six-character mark and of the period, 40.8cm diam. (2). HK$14,000,000-16,000,000. Photo: Bonhams. HONG KONG.- The Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art auction, offering 452 lots, is the largest sale in the Bonhams Hong Kong 2013 Spring Auctions series. A carefully curated collection of Chinese works of art sourced from around the world, the sale includes all the major categories that reflect the long history and rich diversity of Chinese art. In addition to a... [Lire la suite]

An archaic bronze ritual wine vessel (gu) Late Shang Dynasty, 13th-11th century BC - Sotheby's the tall, slim body, with flaring mouth and molded conical foot; the upper body with four elongated upright blades, filled with dissolved taotie mask in relief against a background of dense spirals, four snakes placed between the waist and neck, the waist and lower part also decorated with taotie mask and cicadas in relief against a ground of spirals, divided by four evenly spaced flanges, two... [Lire la suite]