Lot 14 , A rare Chinese archaic bronze ritual wine vessel, Fangzun, Shang dynasty, 13th-11th century B.C., 33.5cm high, losses and repairs
A rare Chinese archaic bronze ritual wine vessel, Fangzun, Shang dynasty, Anyang, 13th-11th century B.C., cast in high relief to each side, the central register with a large taotie mask filled with leiwen, the hooked corner flanges with projecting rams masks with large scrolling horns, the lower register with kui dragons amid leiwen, the neck with scroll-filled lappets, olive-brown patina with malachite, cuprite and occasional azurite encrustation, 33.5cm high, losses and repairs
Estimate £4,000-6,000
Compare a larger and more elaborate ritual bronze Fangzun sold by Christie's, New York, 'Important Chinese Art from the Fujita Museum', 15 March 2017, New York, Lot 523.
Provenance: the estate of the late Jean-Claude Jean-Claude (1926-2016).
Jean-Claude Lepileur was a man of great learning. Born in Lisieux in France, he became a buyer and seller of antiques and formed a partnership with Mrs Senta Christian in a joint antiques venture, travelling to and from England from their early base in Deauville in Normandy. Mr Lepileur was a self-taught historian, chemist and restorer, with a particular love of all things Asian, especially pieces of art from China. And more specifically ancient Chinese bronze artefacts, which he collected avidly all his life.
Mr Lepileur and Mrs Christian moved their business to Finchley in London in the 1950s and they continued to operate as a partnership until 1996, when Mrs Christian passed away. Jean-Claude had a very discerning eye for art and at one point even managed to identify two original Rembrandt sketches for sale on a stall on Portobello Market and was able to purchase them for a few pounds. They were later fully authenticated by the Victoria and Albert Museum. Mr Lepileur was also a frequent visitor to the British Museum in those days as he was always keen to compare his latest Chinese bronze acquisitions with those in the collection of the museum. During his life he amassed a collection of some eighty bronzes and a number of ceramics, pictures and scrolls. He also collected over 60 reference books, many of them very detailed, which he used to assist him with his research. Mr Lepileur was still buying and selling up until his death in December last year, aged 90.
The collection is presented complete, with no omissions and is a great tribute to his skill in identifying, researching and collecting some wonderful pieces of Chinese art.
The dust from the inside of the vase has been removed and there is an indistinct bas-relief cast clan mark to the inside of the base.
PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME OF THE PHOTOS SHOW BROKEN PIECES FROM THE RIM ATTACHED AND IN OTHER PHOTOS THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED.
SIDE ONE - The rim is complete with a large section broken and soft soldered into position. Below this is a large quadrilateral hole from which a vertical crack extends down the middle of the neck. A number of the hooked fins to the middle of the lower neck, the shoulder and the central register are lacking or are heavily eroded with one hook likely to be a later replacement. Turning clockwise the bovine head to the shoulder has been detached and re-glued in position and three of the hooked fins are missing on the corner of the central register below this.
Turning clockwise to-
SIDE TWO - The rim and neck are complete. There is a horizontal crack on the right side of the neck around which the surface deposits have flaked off. To the right of this on the corner of the neck it appears that the hooked fins at the top and two fins at the centre have been repaired or replaced. There is a varnish like surface to areas of the shoulder, the central register and bow strings below. There are losses and old repairs to the hooked fins on the right corner of the central and lower registers.
Turning clockwise to-
SIDE THREE- The top left section of the rim has been broken and soft soldered in position and to the right of this is where a substantial section of the rim (now detached) which is constructed from old and modern sections of bronze and copper which have been heavily scratched. When they are put in position the rim and neck are virtually complete on this side. There is erosion to the hooked fins running down the middle of the neck, shoulder, central register and lower register. The top right corner of the neck is detached and is missing most of the hooked fins and there is a soft solder repair to two of the hooked fins. Most of the hooked fins on the right corner of the central register have been repaired or replaced and the bottom two hooked fins of the right corner of the lower register have been repaired.
Turning clockwise to-
SIDE FOUR- A whole section of one side of the rim/neck is detached but was previously soft soldered in position, this section has been cleaned and is heavily pitted. A smaller section below this is lacking and a second triangular section of the rim top right. The hooked fins on the right corner of the central and lower registers have been repaired or replaced with some missing at the base.
Descriptions provided in both printed and on-line catalogue formats do not include condition reports. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. Interested bidders are strongly encouraged to request a condition report on any lots upon which they intend to bid, prior to placing a bid. All transactions are governed by Gorringes Conditions of Sale.
Sold for £22,000