AN ARCHAISTIC BRONZE ARROW VASE, LATE SONG TO EARLY MING DYNASTY


Expert's note:
The patina on this vessel is predominantly artifical, as expected from an ancient archaistic bronze. In fact, it is a masterpiece of patina-imitation, is itself now at least half a millennium old, and thence has also acquired a natural patina of ist own. This of course make its distinction from entirely naturally grown patinas even harder to discern.

China, 13th-14th century. Finely modeled, the slender pear-shaped body rising from a short spreading foot, the shoulder flanked by a pair of tubular lug handles. Well cast to the exterior with archaistic designs, the upper body and shoulder with pendent cicada leaves enclosing taotie and ruyi motifs below a band of interlocked dragons, each against a leiwen ground. The foot with two small apertures.


Inscriptions:
To the interior of the neck, ‘[…] zhi bao hu’ (‘The precious hu by […]’).


Provenance
: London trade.

Condition
: Very good condition with minor wear and casting flaws, few minuscule nicks and tiny dents. The bronze with a fine, dark patina overall with distinct malachite and cuprite encrustations.Possibly minor touchups.

Weight: 3,408 g
Dimensions: Height 31.5 cm


Literature
: Ulrich Hausmann, Anmerkungen zur Problematik des Archaismus der späteren chinesischen Bronzen in Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ostasiatische Kunst, Mitteilungen Nr. 5, Berlin, October 1993, page 24.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2014, lot 3384
Price: HKD 325,000 or approx.
EUR 46,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze archaistic arrow-handled vase, Song/Yuan dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related pear-shaped form and archaistic decoration.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2014, lot 3394
Price: HKD 212,500 or approx.
EUR 30,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze archaistic pear-shaped vase, Yuan/early Ming dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related pear-shaped form and archaistic decoration.




宋末至明初仿古貫耳銅壺

中國，十三至十四世紀。粗頸，腹部豐滿，兩側各有一筒狀的中空圓形直耳，圈足。外壁仿古圖案，頸部蟠虺紋理，其下蟬紋，內有獸面紋和如意紋，雷紋地。足有兩個小孔。


專家註釋：
這件器皿上的銅鏽包漿主要是人造的，正如許多仿古的青銅器。 事實上，它本是一件仿銅綠包漿的傑作，但經過500年後，也自然生成了包漿。 這使得人造與完全自然生長的包漿更加難以辨別。


款識
：頸部內側："[......]製寶壺"（"珍貴的壺由 […]製）


來源：
倫敦古玩交易。

品相：
狀況極好，有輕微磨損和鑄造缺陷，少量微小刻痕和凹痕。青銅整體呈現細膩的深色包漿，並帶有紅綠銅鏽結殼。可能有小修補。

重量：3,408 克
尺寸：高31.5 厘米


文獻：
Ulrich Hausmann，《Anmerkungen zur Problematik des Archaismus der späteren chinesischen Bronzen in Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ostasiatische Kunst》，Mitteilungen Nr. 5，柏林，1993年10月，頁24。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2014年10月7日，lot 3384
價格：HKD 325,000（相當於今日
EUR 46,000
）
描述：宋 / 元銅饕餮紋貫耳壺
專家評論：比較相近的梨形和仿古設計。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港蘇富比，2014年10月7日，lot 3394
價格：HKD 212,500（相當於今日
EUR 30,000
）
描述：元 / 明初銅蟬紋鋪首耳瓶
專家評論：比較相近的梨形和仿古設計。