Page 23 - Bonhams May 2022 Arrow Vases

Fig.1 Type I Lot 3,12th-13th century Fig.2 Type II Lot 9 Song/Yuan Dynasty Fig.3 Type IV Lot 46, Ming Dynasty
圖一 I式 Lot 3 (12-13世紀) 圖二 II式 Lot 9（宋/元） 圖三 IV式Lot 46（明）

bronzes that have been transmitted to us from this period are prone to types: Lot 5 (Yuan/Ming), Lot 25 (Ming), Lot 26 (Yuan/Ming), Lot 34
tarnishing or darker patinas. (Ming), Lot 38 (Ming), Lot 43 (Ming), Lot 46 (Ming, fig.3).

After the late Yuan dynasty, bronze ware made of brass began to To summarise, the more obvious features are as follows:
appear. This so-called brass mainly refers to the alloy of copper and
zinc. Brass is easier to process than bronze, and its colour is of a Type I with a pair of lug-tubes and round bulging belly, some with a
shiny yellowish tone. After a long time, it can form patinas with various round shoulder, was mainly seen from the Song to the Yuan dynasty,
colours, such as a purple-reddish tone which is called zaohong, literally whilst type II with a compressed body was the most typical shape from
‘jujube red’ by Chinese connoisseurs. A gilt-bronze double-eared vase the Song to the Qing dynasty. Type III-B with multi-faceted bodies,
presented by the emperor in the second year of Xuande (1427) is in especially hexagonal shapes bodies, were most popular from the
the Qutan Temple in Qinghai Province and has this brassy texture. The Song to Ming dynasty. Octagonal vases are very rare. Type III-B, the
Palace Museum studied the part exposed on the body, and the result square arrow vases in the collection are all Ming dynasty, but square
was that it was brass. 7 shaped arrow vases were common in the Song to Yuan periods.
The National Museum of Oriental Art in Genoa, Italy, as well as the
Although the Brian Harkins arrow vases have not undergone Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the tomb of
metallographic inspection, some differences in copper quality can still Huangshi, Zhejiang, have square-shaped arrow vases. It can be said
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be speculated from the patina. Several pieces are dated to the Song/ that hexagonal arrow vases were more popular in the Yuan and Ming
Yuan period, such as Lots 1, 2, 4 and 13, which are darker in colour periods, and vases with multiple lug-tubes are mainly found in the Ming
and should therefore very likely have a higher lead content. Whereas dynasty.
the surfaces of Lots 5, 38 and 39, have a purplish-red patina indicating
that it might be brass. 3. DECORATION

2. SHAPE The decoration on the bronze arrow vases of the Brian Harkins
collection covers a very wide period. Below is a general summary of
The Brian Harkins collection of arrow vases can be categorised into the different types:
four types according to the number of tubes, body shape and sides.
I. Chilong pattern
TYPE I: A pair of lug-tubes, globular body, and round shoulders:
Lot 3 (12th-13th century, fig.1), Lot 8 (Song/Yuan), Lot 12 (Yuan), Chilong or Chi dragon pattern, also known simply as a Chi pattern,
Lot 22 (Song/Yuan), Lot 23 (Yuan), Lot 24 (Yuan), Lot 27 (Yuan/Ming), originated from the archaic dragon and tiger patterns in the Spring
Lot 47 (Ming). and Autumn period and the Han dynasty. It was particularly popular in
the Western Han dynasty. It was rare after the Wei and Jin dynasties
TYPE II: A pair of lug-tubes, compressed globular body: Lot 1 (Song), and was almost no longer seen in the Sui and Tang dynasties. It then
Lot 2 (12th-13th century), Lot 4 (12 -13 century), Lot 9 (Song/Yuan, reappeared in the Song dynasty and continued into the Ming and Qing
th
th
fig.2), Lot 10 (Song/Yuan), Lot 17 (Yuan), Lot 18 (Yuan), Lot 25 (Song/ dynasties. The most common patterns on the necks of the Brian
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Yuan), Lot 28 (14 /15 century), Lot 29 (Yuan/Ming), Lot 44 (Ming), Lot Harkins collection of arrow vases is the chilong pattern which has the
th
th
45 (Ming), Lot 47 (Ming), Lot 51 (Ming), Lot 52 (Qing) following forms:
TYPE III: Multi-faceted body, divided into square, hexagonal and TYPE I: resembling a lizard
octagonal vases
III-A: Square vases: Lot 16 (Ming, fig.4), Lot 25 (Ming). Lot 1 (Song, fig.7).
III-B: Hexagonal vases: Lot 1 (Song), Lot 11 (Song/Yuan), Lot 13
(Song/Yuan), Lot 35 (Yuan/Ming), Lot 36 (Ming, fig.5), Lot 37 (Ming), This chi dragon on this vase completely resembles a lizard or gecko.
Lot 38 (Ming), Lot 39 (Ming). Furthermore, the chi dragon in the Spring and Autumn period was
III-C: Octagonal vases: Lot 5 (Yuan/Ming, fig.6). inspired by the gecko. The gecko, was also known as ‘shou gong’
(literally ‘protector of the palace’), and was considered by the ancients
TYPE IV: With multiple lug-tubes, overlapping with previous body to be a type of lizard. Such naturalistic gecko designs are rarely seen
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