M5511

A Chinese large gold-splashed bronze vase and cover of archaic zun form, the four-sided body cast on each facet with a wide relief-band of taotie masks on a key-fret ground, between handles cast with mythical animal heads and set with a mask handle on one facet, above eight stylised masks on the splayed foot repeated on the neck and cover, all between flanges, the cover surmounted by a curved knop, the underside with a four-character mark of ‘dan er bu yan’ (distant yet courteous).

Total height on stand 49 cm, total height of stand 46 cm.

Late Ming/early Qing, 17^th century.

Finely carved wood stand specifically made for this piece. 

A large Chinese porcelain fahua vase of guan form, carved in relief with Shoulao seated holding a ruyi sceptre beside an attendant fanning the flames of a censer, all between a deer and crane, in a continuous landscape scene with the Eight Immortals each holding their various attributes between pine trees, rockwork and a large cloud bank, beneath a ruyi-head band at the shoulder enclosing the bajixian, the eight precious objects, all between lappet borders, the neck with lingzhi cloud sprays, the entire exterior heightened in turquoise, yellow and pale aubergine on a deep, rich aubergine-blue ground, the interior covered in a green glaze, the unglazed base with green splashes, the biscuit revealing the body.

12 ¾ inches, 32.4 cm high.

Ming dynasty, 15^th-16^th century.

A Chinese gold splash bronze circular vase of hu form, with two loose ring and mythical animal mask handles, all on a gently splayed ribbed foot and upright gallery rim, the body covered with rich gold splashes, continuing on to the base.
The underside with a six character relief mark of Xuande impressed in a rectangle.
Ming dynasty, 16^th/17^th century.
6 3/4 inches, 17.2 cm high.