Page 14 - Bonhams Asian Art London November 5, 2020

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A RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL FOOD VESSEL, GUI
Early Western Zhou Dynasty, 11th-10th century BC
The compressed globular body cast in high relief on each side with a
pair of taotie masks with C-shaped horns and large boss eyes, divided
by two mythical beast-headed loop handles set at the bottom with
a tab, all supported on a high spreading foot cast in high relief with
a band of eight dragons, the patina of gun-metal grey tone with light
patches of malachite encrustation.
29.2cm (11 1/2in) wide.

£80,000 - 120,000
CNY700,000 - 1,100,000

西周早期，公元前11至10世紀 青銅獸耳饕餮紋簋

Provenance: Mr. Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, New York
Sotheby’s New York, 4 November 1978, lot 308
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Morse, New York
Richard J. and Jean D. Salisbury
J.J. Lally & Co., New York
An American private collection
Sotheby’s New York, 17 March 2015, lot 154
A distinguished London private collection

Exhibited and Published: The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, 1982, Spirit and Ritual: The Morse Collection of Ancient
Chinese Art, no.14.
J.J. Lally & Co., New York, June 1 to 25, 1994, Archaic Chinese
Bronzes, Jades and Works of Art, no.53.

來源：美國紐約Rafi Y. Mottahedeh舊藏
紐約蘇富比，1978年11月4日，拍品編號308
美國紐約Earl Morse伉儷舊藏
Richard J.與Jean D. Salisbury舊藏
美國紐約古董商J.J. Lally & Co.
美國私人收藏
紐約蘇富比，2015年3月17日，拍品編號154
倫敦顯貴私人收藏

展覽著錄：大都會藝術博物館，「Spirit and Ritual: The Morse
Collection of Ancient Chinese Art」，美國紐約，1982年，編號14
J.J. Lally & Co.，「Archaic Chinese Bronzes, Jades and Works of
Art」，美國紐約，1994年6月1日至25日，編號53

The rendering of the masks that dominate the body of this vessel are
characteristic of the early Western Zhou period. Large-scale animal
masks appear on some of the most famous vessels of the period,
such as the Li gui; see W.Fong, The Great Bronze Age of China, New
York, 1980, no.41. The style established by such important works as
the Li gui probably enhanced the popularity of this motif at the time.

Two related gui vessels from the reign of the third Zhou King, Kang
Wang (1020-996 BC or 1005-978 BC) make it likely that the present
lot was also produced during the same reign. See Bronzes of the
Shang and Chou Unearthed in Shensi, Beijing, 1979, no.152.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
12 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.