PROVENANCE: Fred Madden (1938-2019) a family of World War I hero awarded by the French Government. His family's roots began in Arkansas before it obtained statehood.Educated at Little Rock High School Upon graduation Fred moved to San Francisco becoming part of the Beatnik subculture and playing ragtime and jazz piano in clubs. He married Margaret Lillington from Bradenton Florida. They moved back to her home state where he apprenticed in the travel agency field and was the youngest agency operator in the country.A world traveler, Madden visited 168 countries (a country being defined as one which issues its own postage stamps) include such arcane destinations as Tristan da Cunha, the Faroe Islands, Afghanistan's Wakkan Corridor and Upland Togo. Maddens Global Travel agency was the first American travel agency to arrange tourist travel to the Peoples' Republic of China. His trips overseas were always a challenge to find historical artifact of ancient China pieces to bring back to the states to show and amaze his friends. His collection was vast. He was a serious scholar with a fine library on the subject of bronze art. Same Provenance offered on Lot: 81-82, 217-224, and 361-364. Dimensions: Weight: 7730g, Height: 38 cm, Diam.: 24 cm Chinese Shang Dynasty Patinated Bronze Ritual Ewer. This bronze container has a round open lip, large, tall and heaviness, have globular body, heavy on lower belly, short neck, emerge two ears u spayed on both sides of the upper mouth rim, correspondence dome lid with finial bud, all supported on splayed round foot base with deep concave. The abdomen body carved with archaic huge taotie mask around dragon, Wanzi and auspicious pattern. The proportion of the whole body is symmetrical, the layout is accurate, very harmonious. Beautiful Chinese censer that allures the eye, displaying an amazing level of craftsmanship. The Amazing condition with a natural patina giving this piece an unforgettable appearance.