Lot 35 , A Chinese archaic bronze tripod ritual food vessel, late Shang/early Western Zhou dynasty, 23cm high, repairs

A rare Chinese archaic bronze tripod ritual food vessel, Ding, early Western Zhou dynasty, 11th century B.C., cast in relief with taotie masks and leiwen, on three bird-shaped flattened profile legs, bas-relief cast four character pictographic mark to the interior, olive-brown patina with patches of malachite, azurite and cuprite encrustation, 23cm high, 19cm wide, old repairs
Estimate £8,000-12,000


Literature:
see Liu Yang, Ancient Ritual Bronzes from the Shanghai Museum, p.80-81 for a similar ding vessel with bird-shaped flattened legs. In the book the author observes that 'Bronze versions of the flat-legged ding began to be cast early in the Shang dynasty (c.1600-1300 BCE). 'Early in the Western Zhou dynasty (c.1046-977 BCE), legs taking the form of a bird became more popular.' 'It is interesting to note that there seems to be correspondence between the form of these legs and of plaque-shaped jade pendants depicting a bird, current during the Shang and early western Zhou dynasties.'

Compare a larger but similar shape ritual bronze ding vessel dated to the Shang dynasty in the Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture, San Francisco, from the Avery Brundage Collection, accession no. B60B1006.

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.

There is an old metal patch repair to the base of the vessel between two of the feet. There is some corrosion and pitting to the surface around one handle, on the edge of the rim and to a partial section of the cast decoration on one side with some old grey solder around the area. There is a crack to the rim extending downward across the band of decoration. weighs 2.6kg


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 £190,000