A bronze wine vessel and cover, bianhu, Eastern Zhou dynasty, Warring States period | 東周戰國 青銅蟠虺紋提樑扁蓋壺
Auction Closed
May 7, 03:37 AM GMT
Estimate
40,000 - 80,000 HKD
Lot Details
Description
cast with a flattened oval body rising to a waisted neck and flat mouth, all supported on a rectangular flared foot, densely decorated on each side with panels of the 'coiling snake' panhui motifs, the rounded shoulder with a pair of loop handles, linking to a chain connecting to a double-ended dragon-head handle, the cover with a beast-shaped finial and further cast with echoing panhui motifs, Japanese wood box
w. 27.7 cm; h. 26.5 cm
Such bianhu vessels are often dated to the late Warring States period. Related examples preserved in the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, are illustrated in Chen Peifen, Xia Shang Zhou qingtongqi yanjiu [Study of archaic bronzes from Shang, Shang and Zhou dynasties], Dongzhou [Eastern Zhou] vol. 2, Shanghai, 2004, pls 618-620, although they lack covers and handles. A similar Warring States period vessel, but inlaid with copper, from the collection of Sir Joseph Hotung, was sold in these rooms, 9th October 2022, lot 155.
平口，短頸，圓肩，扁平腹，長方形圈足略微外撇，肩部鑄鈕，連龍首啣環體量，蓋子母口，頂獸鈕，蓋頂飾蟠虺紋，壺身前後飾對格長方形，其內填以蟠虺紋，紋飾繁複規整，整體製作精良。
此類扁壺多見於戰國晚期，上海博物館藏數件此類扁壺可資參考，紋飾及形制頗似，惟皆失蓋或無提樑，見陳佩芬著，《夏商周青銅器研究·東周下》，上海，2004年，編號618-620。又可比較一件何東爵士舊藏戰國青銅扁壺 ，惟嵌紅銅，售於香港蘇富比2022年10月9日，編號155。