Page 284 - Christie's Fine Chinese Paintings March 19 2019 Auction

1788
A GOLD AND SILVER-INLAID BRONZE ARCHAISTIC TRIPOD EWER AND COVER, HE
MING DYNASTY (1368-1644)
The compressed spherical body is raised on three bird-surmounted bear-form supports and decorated
around the sides with bands of archaistic designs inlaid in silver and reserved on a leiwen ground. The
bird-head spout rising from spread wings is surmounted by a rat, and the handle is in the form of a
mythical beast with openwork, arched body created by the entwined bodies of two serpents. The cover is
decorated en suite below a loop rising from two taotie masks.
11 in. (28 cm.) wide
$20,000-30,000

PROVENANCE
Private collection, Japan.
The design of this ewer is based on Warring States prototypes, such as the he with very similar
openwork handle and spout illustrated in Zhongguo Meishu Quanji; Diaosu bian; Yuanshi Shehui Zi
Zhangou Diaosu, Beijing, 1988, vol. 1, p. 119, no. 149. Another similar he was ofered in the Prince Kung
Collection, American Art Association, 1913, lot. 299. See, also, a similar he from the Sackler Collections
sold at Christie’s New York, 14 September 2009, lot 100, and another example sold at Christie’s New
York, 13 September 2018, lot 1116 (Fig. 1).
明 銅錯金銀仿古提梁盉

Fig. 1 A bronze tripod ewer and cover, he, Warring States period (475-221 BC) sold at Christie’s New York, 13 September
2018, lot 1116.

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