Page 248 - 2019 September 11th Sotheby's Important Chinese Art

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PROPERTY FROM A JAPANESE PRIVATE Distinctive for the two repeating bands around Compare other related examples, including
COLLECTION its body, the present lot belongs to a very small a slightly smaller bronze zun, cast with two
A VERY RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE group of bronzes sharing this feature produced similar kuilong bands and raised beast masks
RITUAL WINE VESSEL (ZUN) in the Western Zhou dynasty. See a closely but to the top band only, excavated in Baoji,
WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY related inscribed bronze zun of a smaller size, Shaanxi province, published in ibid., vol. 21,
cast with a very similar design, formerly in the Shanghai, 2012, no. 11521, and together with a
well cast with a slightly bulging midsection collection of the Qing dynasty calligrapher Qian zun decorated with a band of kuilong and bird
rising from a spreading foot to a trumpet neck Dian (1744-1806), currently in the Taito City interrupted by raised beast heads, in the Fogg
with a flaring rim, decorated around the body in Calligraphy Museum, Tokyo, published in Wu Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge,
low relief with two bands of confronting kuilong Zhenfeng, Shangzhou qingtongqi mingwen ji no. 11646; a third cast with two bird bands
interrupted by raised beast masks, all between tuxiang jicheng [Compendium of Inscriptions and beast masks to the top band, illustrated
double bowstrings, the surface with areas of and Images of Bronzes from Shang and Zhou in Daisy Lion-Goldschmidt and Jean-Claude
malachite encrustation, wood stand, Japanese Dynasties], vol. 21, Shanghai, 2012, no. 11563 Moreau-Gobard, Chinese Art: Bronze, Jade,
wood boxes (6) (line drawing). An inscribed bronze zun of a Sculpture, Ceramics, Oxford, 1980, pl. 13, and
Height 11 in., 28 cm smaller size, decorated with two repeating later sold in our London rooms, 19th June 1984,
kuilong bands of a different style, excavated lot 21; and another with two bands of a slightly
PROVENANCE from a Western Zhou dynasty sacrificial tomb different design and beast masks to the top
Collection of Hatta Seido. near Beijing, is illustrated in ‘Excavation of the band, published in Jung Keng, Yenching Journal
Osaka Bijutsu Kurabu (Osaka Art Club), Osaka, Western Chou Tombs of Immolated Slaves of Chinese Studies. The Bronzes of Shang and
23nd June 1928, lot 69. at Liuliho in Fangshan County’, Kaogu, no. Chou, vol. II, Peiping, 1941, pl. 518.
5, 1974, pl. 8, fig. 4; another from the Arthur
$100,000-150,000 M. Sackler Foundation, was sold at Christie’s
New York, 14th-15th September 2017, lot 905; 西周 青銅夔龍獸面紋尊
The box for this lot is inscribed with a note by and one with the kuilong design reserved on a
Zoroku Hata in 1922. leiwen ground, excavated from a Western Zhou 來源
dynasty tomb in Xiang county, Henan province,
Zhengzhou is published in Henan Provincial 八田西洞收藏
Museum, ‘Excavation of the Western Chou 大阪美術俱樂部，大阪，1928年6月23
Tomb at Hsianghsien, Honan Province’, Wenwu, 日，編號69
no. 8, 1977, pl.4, fig. 4.
日本盒蓋內書藏六壬戌（1922年）題識

246 SOTHEBY’S IMPORTANT CHINESE ART