A LARGE INSCRIBED BRONZE RITUAL FOOD VESSEL AND COVER, DING, SPRING AND AUTUMN PERIOD

Inscriptions:
A twelve-character inscription in Jinwen is neatly incised into a circumferential band on the cover, divided in three groups of four characters each, separated by one of the three recumbent mythical beasts sitting on top of the cover. The second character is “ding”, which means “to sacrifice”. It was originally developed from oracle bones and normally depicts a bowl shaped vessel on legs with two upright handles. On the present lot, there is a sacrifice depicted inside the ding. For reference, see Childs-Johnson, Elizabeth, Big Ding and China Power: Divine Authority and Legitimacy, Asian Perspectives, vol. 51, no. 2, 2012, pages 164-220. The third and eleventh characters both contain the symbol for tree or wood. When combined with other symbols, such as in this case, they can have different meanings like “season” or “food”. Wood can even be seen as “roots”, as in ancestral heritage. The first character is referring to a village area, most likely the original location of this vessel.


Scientific Analysis Report:
A thermoluminescence analysis report issued by Artemis Testing Lab on 23 February 2018, based on sample number 131703, sets the firing date of two samples taken at about 3500 years ago. A copy of the report accompanies this lot.

China, 6th century BC. Superbly cast, the tripod body supported on three tall cabriole legs, flanked by angular U-shaped, upright handles, below the domed cover surmounted by three horned mythical beasts. The sides of the deep vessel flat-cast with two wide bands of tightly interlaced dragons, repeated on the handles and on the cover, which is further decorated with zoomorphic bands and a central medallion enclosing a feline creature with a sinuous scaly body.


Provenance:
From an old private collection in Los Angeles, California, USA, and thence by descent within the same family.

Condition:
Remarkably well preserved, commensurate with age. Old wear, expected casting flaws, dents and nicks, signs of weathering and erosion, soil encrustations. Minor fatigue cracks and losses. The bronze with a spectacular, rich, and naturally grown patina with distinct malachite, cuprite, and azurite encrustations.

Weight: 4,728 g
Dimensions: Width 34.3 cm (across handles)


Expert’s note
: Ding vessels were first cast by the Shang and were undoubtedly an important Chinese bronze vessel. Used originally as cauldrons to cook food, the tripod vessel could easily be set above an open fire. The earliest examples of Ding were found in Zhengzhou and date from the end of the 15th century BC. During the Spring and Autumn period, ding started being cast with a cover, often equipped with a set of rings for easier removal. The recumbent mythical beasts on the cover of the present lot have the same function, but are much rarer and hence also serve as evidence of the high status of the original owner of this particular ding.


Literature comparison:

Compare a related bronze ding and cover, also with a circular inscription and with similar animal-form finials on the cover, dated to the early Warring States period, 5th century BC, formerly in the collection of Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, no. B1300, sold by Sotheby’s New York, 19 March 2002, lot 32. Compare a related bronze ding, with similar bands of flat-cast decoration and with a similar feline with granulated body occupying the central medallion on the cover, 24.3 cm high, dated to the mid-Spring and Autumn period, illustrated by Jenny So in Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, 1995, pp. 127, no. 12, where the author also illustrates a 6th century BC ding and cover from Shanxi Houma Shanguacun M13, p. 129, Fig. 12.1, which shares a similar shape, legs and decorative bands. Compare a related bronze ding, 17.8 cm high, dated to Eastern Zhou dynasty, 5th-4th century BC, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 49.135.1a.b. Compare a related bronze ding, 38.5 cm high, dated ca. late 6th to early 5th century BC, in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number F1947.20a-b. Compare two related bronze ding vessels dated to the Spring and Autumn period in the Palace Museum, Beijing, accession numbers Xin00086998 and Xin00074731.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 24 Novermber 2013, lot 468
Price: HKD 812,500 or approx.
EUR 120,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An inscribed archaic bronze tripod incense burner and cover, ding, Eastern Zhou dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related ding form and flat-cast decoration with similar interlaced dragons. Note mythical beasts and the slightly smaller size (height 26.7 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 2013, lot 1232
Price: USD 109,350 or approx.
EUR 128,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze ritual tripod food vessel and cover, ding, Spring and Autumn period, 6th century BC
Expert remark: Compare the related form, flat-cast decoration, and animal-form handles on the cover. Note the much smaller size (18 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 14 September 2012, lot 1243
Price: USD 86,500 or approx.
EUR 102,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large bronze ritual tripod food vessel and cover, ding, Spring and Autumn period, early to mid-6th century BC
Expert remark: Compare the related ding form and flat-cast decoration. Note the slightly larger width (40.3 cm) and the lack of mythical beasts.




春秋時期大型青銅蓋鼎


中國，西元前六世紀。鼎身鑄工精良，器、蓋為子母口，雙附耳，鼓腹，蹄足。器蓋上有三隻有角神獸，中央神獸紋。器腹曲紋及環帶紋。


款識：
頂蓋上整齊地刻有十二字金文，分成三組，每組四字，中間由封面上的三隻臥獸隔開。第二個字是“鼎”。本拍品的鼎內描繪有祭祀圖案。作為參考，請參閱Childs-Johnson、Elizabeth、《Big Ding China Power: Divine Authority and Legitimacy, Asian Perspectives》，卷51，編號2，2012 年，第 164-220 頁。第三個和第十一個字元都包含樹或木的偏旁，它們可以具有不同的含義，例如“季節”或“食物”。木材甚至可以被視為“根”，就像祖先的遺產一樣。 第一個字元指的是村莊區域，很可能是這個鼎的原始位置。


科學檢測報告
：
Artemis Testing Lab實驗室於2018年2月23日出具的一份熱釋光分析報告，編號131703, 確定了兩個樣本的製造日期約為3500年前。隨附一份報告副本。


來源
：
來自美國加利福尼亞州洛杉磯的一個私人舊藏，在同一家族保存。

品相：
保存完好，磨損、鑄造不規則、凹痕和刻痕、風化和侵蝕的跡象、土壤結殼。輕微的裂紋和缺損。自然包漿，有紅綠色結殼。

重量：4,728 克
尺寸：寬 34.3 厘米 (兩袖之間)


專家注釋：
鼎最早在商代開始鑄造，無疑是中國重要的青銅器之一。三足鼎最初用作烹飪食物的器皿，可以放在火上。 最早的鼎是在鄭州發現的，可以追溯到公元前 十五世紀末。春秋時期，鼎開始有蓋，通常配有一套環，以便於拆卸。本拍品蓋上神獸具有相同的功能，但數量較少，也足以證明該鼎原主人的崇高地位。


文獻比較：


比較一件戰國初期西元前五世紀青銅蓋鼎，器蓋上也有圓形銘文和神獸，曾藏於Robert Hatfield Ellsworth，編號B1300，後售於紐約蘇富比，2002年3月19日，lot 32。比較一件相近的春秋中期青銅鼎，高24.3 釐米，見Jenny So，《Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections》，1995年，頁127，編號12，又見西元前六世紀鼎蓋，有相似於外形、足和裝飾帶，出土於山西侯馬，編號M13，頁129，圖12.1。比較一件相近的東周西元前五至四世紀青銅鼎，高17.8 釐米，收藏於大都會藝術博物館，館藏編號49.135.1a.b。比較一件相近的西元前六世紀末至五世紀初青銅鼎，高38.5 釐米，收藏於史密森學會國立亞洲藝術博物館，館藏編號F1947.20a-b。比較兩件相近的春秋時期青銅鼎，收藏於北京故宮博物院，館藏編號Xin00086998和Xin00074731。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：香港邦瀚斯，2013年11月24日，lot 468
價格：HKD 812,500（相當於今日
EUR 120,000
）
描述：東周青銅蟠蛇紋獸首足蓋鼎
專家評論：比較相近的鼎外形、龍紋。請注意相似的神獸和尺寸較小 (高 26.7 釐米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2013年3月22日，lot 1232
價格：USD 109,350（相當於今日
EUR 128,000
）
描述：春秋青銅夔鳳紋三獸鈕鼎
專家評論：比較相近的外形、平鑄裝飾、獸形雙耳。請注意尺寸較小 (18 釐米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2012年9月14日，lot 1243
價格：USD 86,500（相當於今日
EUR 102,000
）
描述：春秋青銅蟠龍紋鼎
專家評論：比較相近的鼎外形、平鑄裝飾。請注意寬許多(40.3 釐米) 。