J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art / New York City, New York

12.
A LARGE ARCHAIC BRONZE WATER BASIN (JIAN)

Eastern Zhou Dynasty, Warring States Period,
5th-4th Century B.C.

decorated on the exterior of the steeply rounded sides with linked angular scrollwork embellished with small raised circles at all the corners creating a dense, irregular mesh pattern in relief filling the central frieze, and with a matching narrow frieze indented above ropetwist and keyfret bands, below the wide mouth with thick everted rim also cast with keyfret on the squared edge, the lower sides cast in linear intaglio with five rows of interlocking chevrons filled with scroll motifs, the two large loop handles projecting below the rim on opposite sides, each cast with a head of a feline monster crowned with twin serpentine scale-decorated horns surrounded by hook and wing motifs filled with striations and volutes and centered by two more serpentine horns decorated with herringbone pattern, the lower section of each handle emerging from the monster’s mouth and suspending a loose ring cast with keyfret, the flat base raised on short tripod supports with pad feet emerging from rudimentary masks similar to the monster heads on the handles, the surface with attractive green patination lightly encrusted all over and showing an underlayer of smooth yellowish-brown patina on the lower sides and base.

Height 7 ¹⁄₂ inches (19 cm)
Width 18 ³⁄₄ inches (47.7 cm)

東周  青銅變形蟠蛇鑑  高 19 厘米  寬 47.7 厘米