Page 113 - Sotheby's Chinese Art and Porcelain Auction New York September 12, 2018

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A RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE DOUBLE- This crisply cast Þ nial belongs to a distinct of Ancient Chinese Bronzes from Collections
SIDED POLE FINIAL group of bronze Þ nials featuring impressive in Europe and America, pt. III, Miscellaneous
masks on both sides, used as ceremonial Objects, vol. I, Osaka, 1933, pl. 26; one sold in
LATE SHANG / EARLY WESTERN
paraphernalia during the late Shang/early our London rooms, 6th April 1976, lot, 12, now
ZHOU DYNASTY
Western Zhou period. Finials of this type in the collection of the Idemitsu Museum of
are notable for the contrasting styles of Arts, Tokyo, published in Giuseppe Eskenazi, A
cast to one side with a powerful taotie mask,
casting on each side: while one side shows Dealer’s Hand. The Chinese Art World through
detailed with bulging eyes and ß ared nostrils
a more naturalistic rendering of an animal the Eyes of Giuseppe Eskenazi, London, 2012,
below large C-shaped horns, the reverse with
mask, the other features a highly stylized pl. 7; and a fourth example from the collections
a raised mythical beast head with ß at-ended
taotie mask. As such, it demonstrates the of William van Heusden and Mr. and Mrs.
horns sweeping back over the protruding
diverse ornamentation of bronze objects and Richard C. Bull, included in the exhibition Arts of
eyes and the broad nose gently curved with a
ceremonial practices during this time. These the Chou Dynasty, Stanford University Museum,
central ridge, pierced to both sides with square
Þ nials adorned chariots, which were richly Stanford, 1958, cat. no. 16, and illustrated in
apertures, the polished surface with areas of
decorated with painted designs and bronze William van Heusden, Ancient Chinese Bronzes,
malachite encrustation
Þ ttings prior to being bestowed at investiture Tokyo, 1952, pl. LV, sold in these rooms, 21st
Height 4¼ in., 10.7 cm
ceremonies. March 2018, lot 581.
PROVENANCE
No other closely related animal mask Þ nials $ 30,000-50,000
Sotheby’s London, 13th November 2002, lot 36. appear to have been published, although
related examples of this type are known; ⓮㛓ġİġ大␐⇅ġġġ曺戭棽棖䌠朊䲳㛾椾
see two, one from the Freer Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C., and the other from the Ը๕
collection of C.T. Loo, illustrated in Sueji ΐ㔎喯⭴㭼2002⸜11㚰13㖍炻䶐嘇36
Umehara, Shina-koda seikwa/Selected Relics

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