A BRONZE 'TURTLE' BRONZE MODEL OF A STOVE
China, Han dynasty

The object is composed of a base with an approximately triangular section placed on four legs, at a vertex an animal head spout, the overall shape taking on the appearance of a tortoise, on the upper side a larger recess to accommodate two bowl containers, one upside down than the other, and two smaller ones with spoons for handling fire and food.

25 cm high

Provenance : Fabrizio Savi collection, acquired from Tony Anthony J. Allen, Auckland, New Zealand, between 1995 and 2000.
Published in A.J. Allen, Allen's Authentication of Ancient Chinese Bronzes, Auckland 2001, p. 120.

Also made in ceramics, these models of stove were part of the grave goods of aristocratic figures, inserted as tools to facilitate the journey to the afterlife.
An item similar to this is in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (inv. 1993.118.a-h).