| 中文版 English

具体要求

其它要求

-
关闭
A RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE OWL-HEADED RITUAL WINE VESSEL, HU, EASTERN ZHOU DYNASTY, 8TH-3RD CENTURY BC
奥地利
2025年10月16日 开拍
拍品描述
China. Finely cast, the pear-shaped supported on a spreading foot with recessed base and rising to a gently flaring neck surmounted by the cover boldly modeled as the head of an owl distinguished by a pair of bulging eyes, prominently raised ears, and a pronounced curved beak.The neck and lower body fitted with two studs from which a handle with dragon-head terminals is suspended by loose rings.Provenance: Galerie 41, Monte Carlo, 2005. A private collection in Monaco, acquired from the above. A copy of the original signed invoice from Galerie 41, dated 1 January 2005, dating the vessel to the Han dynasty, and stating a purchase price for the present lot (together with a Tang-dynasty 'Fat Lady') of EUR 20,000 or approx. EUR 30,500 (adjusted to inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot.Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Ancient wear, signs of burial and traces of weathering, corrosion, soil encrustations, few small losses, casting irregularities, surface scratches. The bronze is covered in a rich, naturally grown patina with extensive malachite encrustation.Weight: 836.6 gDimensions: Height 18.4 cmExpert's note: Bronze vessels of owl shape were first made during the Shang dynasty, in two different types: those covered overall with dense decoration and those of a more austere, simplified design, akin to the minimalism of the present lot. One famous example of the ornate type is an owl-shaped zun discovered in 1976 in the Tomb of Fu Hao at Yinxu, present-day Anyang in Henan province. Inscribed along the interior rim of that vessel are archaic characters identifying Fu Hao, the wife of King Wu Ding of the Shang dynasty. Revered both as a warrior and a high priestess, Fu Hao participated in major military campaigns, presided over sacrificial rites, and played an active role in state affairs, remaining as a legendary figure in Chinese history. Other objects from Fu Hao's tomb also feature owl imagery, including a double 'fangyi', a 'guang', and six pendants. Artistic and archaeological evidence suggests that the owl may have served as a totemic symbol for the Shang dynasty. Its presence on elite burial artifacts indicates the bird's symbolic significance during this period.Literature comparison:Compare two related owl-form earthenware covered jars, one similarly potted as a hu with an owl head-shaped stopper, dated to the Warring States period, early 4th century BC, 29.6 cm high, and the other modeled entirely as an owl, dated Zhou dynasty, 11th-3rd century BC, 27 cm high, both in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, accession numbers 50.1860 and 50.1819. Compare a related Shang bronze zun in the form of an owl with dragons, dated 11th century BC, 16.3 cm high, in the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number S1987.1a-b.Auction result comparison:Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 3 December 2021, lot 836 Price: HKD 302,400 or approx. EUR 36,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing : A rare archaic bronze bird-headed ritual wine vessel, hu, Eastern Zhou dynastyExpert remark: Compare the closely related form and manner of casting with similar hu-shaped body and owl-form cover. Note the different size (34.5 cm).Auction result comparison:Type: Related Auction: Sotheby's New York, 18 March 2014, lot 18 Estimate: USD 4,000,000 or approx. EUR 4,500,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing : A very rare and important bronze owl-headed ritual wine vessel (hu), early Eastern Zhou dynasty, 8th-7th century BCExpert remark: Compare the closely related form and manner of casting with similar (albeit ribbed) hu-shaped body and owl-form cover. Note the earlier dating, the larger size, and the substantial provenance record of this vessel.

本场其它拍品

  • 竞价阶梯
  • 快递物流
  • 拍卖规则
  • 支付方式
竞价区间 加价幅度
0
10
50
50
600
100
1,600
200
4,000
500
8,000
1,000
16,000
2,000
40,000
5,000
80,000
10,000
160,000
20,000
+

价格信息

拍品估价:3,000 - 6,000 欧元 起拍价格:3,000 欧元  买家佣金:

拍卖公司

Galerie Zacke
地址: Sterngasse 13, 1010 Vienna, Austria
电话: 0043-1-5320452
邮编: 1070
向卖家提问