Bronze
THE GUINNESS ZHI
China, Late Shang Dynasty (1200 - 1046 BC)
Bronze, 5.5 in.
The vessel crisply and elegantly cast in relief against a plain ground with two registers of taotie masks on either side, flanked by pairs of descending kui dragons and divided by a narrow central band enclosing two pairs of confronted birds. The tall foot similarly decorated with confronted kui dragon pairs, while a single clan emblem is cast to the interior base. The bronze bears a rich, milky olive green patina.
Cf. Christie's. Power and Prestige: Important Early Chinese Ritual Bronzes from a Distinguished European Collection. New York, 22 Mar. 2019. Auction catalogue. “The Peng Zhou Zhi Jia Rare Small Bronze Ritual Wine Vessel,” Late Shang dynasty, 12th–11th century BC. Lot 1503.
THE ELLSWORTH CHARIOT AXLE CUFFS
China, Late Shang to Early Western Zhou Dynasty (1200 - 900 BC)
Bronze, 8.9 inches
Each having a body cast of elliptical section with a prominent horned taotie masks below large flange with a similar motif. The pair closely related to a fitting found in a Western Zhou horse-and-chariot pit at Keshengzhuang near Xi'an.
Cf. Christie’s. Important Chinese Furniture and Works of Art. New York, 19 Sept. 2025. Auction catalogue. “A Rare Bronze Axle Cuff,” Western Zhou dynasty, 11th–9th century BC. Lot 852, Property from the Shorenstein Collection, San Francisco.
A RITUAL TRIPOD VESSEL
China, Early Spring and Autumn Period 700 - 600 BC)
Bronze, 7 inches
Raised on three hollow legs splayed at the bottom and with core-filled V-shaped open backs, each cast at the top with a 'bird-scroll' motif, the motif repeated as a freize across the entire cauldron, from which rise the pair of bail handles cast with a tongue pattern, with heavy green and earth encrustation.
Cf. Jenny So. Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections. Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, 1995. pp. 102–103, no. 6. “Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronze,” Early Spring and Autumn Period, c. 700–600 BC.
