Page 202 - Chinese Works of Art Chritie's Mar. 22-23 2018

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE NEW YORK COLLECTION
913
A BRONZE FACETED STORAGE JAR AND COVER, FANGHU
HAN DYNASTY (206 BC-AD 220)
The faceted pear-shaped body, raised on a slightly fared foot, has plain sides, with small loops suspending
rings on two sides below the rim, and relief-cast taotie mask handles suspending loose rings applied on
the shoulder of the other two sides, the rings attached to links attached at the other end to a slightly arched
handle cast with bands of cowrie pattern between the dragon-head terminals. The cover has canted sides
and is applied with bird-scroll fnials at the corners and a ring handle on top. A six-character inscription
is casted in relief on the base, may be read jia fang li ma bing yi. The bronze has a brown and milky green
patina and blue-green encrustation.
15√ in. (40.4 cm.) high, stand

$50,000-70,000

PROVENANCE
Acquired in Hong Kong, 14 January 1998.

The inscription cast in relief on the base of this vessel, jia fang li ma bing yi, can be translated as
‘family’s fanghu, (wishing for) horses’ welfare and elimination of diseases’.
The addition of the relief inscription on the base of this vessel is an unusual feature, but can be found
on other bronze vessels of the Han dynasty, such as the hu in the Palace Museum, Beijing, which is
cast in relief on its base with a nine-character inscription in seal script reading, “happiness comes with
drinking wine and eating.” See The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 28 - Bronze
Articles for Daily Use, Hong Kong, 2006, pp. 62-63, no. 54. Compare, also, the bronze hu excavated in
1961 in Gaoyao Village, Shaanxi province, which is cast in relief on one side with an inscription in seal
script reading jiu jiang gong (Nine river ofering), illustrated in Zhongguo Qingtongqi Quanji - 12 - Qin Han,
Beijing, 1998, p. 67, no. 65.
漢 青銅提鏈方壺

(detail) (inscription on base)

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