THE ZHONG FU FU GUI AN IMPORTANT BRONZE RITUAL FOOD VESSEL EARLY WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY, 11TH-10TH CENTURY BC

the rounded body resting on a high splayed foot terminating with a straight foot ring, cast below the gently everted rim with a border of four pairs of confronted kui dragons with raised eyes, hooked jaws and flag-like tops, bisected by an animal-mask in high relief on two sides and interrupted by a pair of loop handles with hooked pendent tabs issuing from horned animal heads, the foot decorated with a matching band of kui dragons divided by four low flanges, a six-character inscription on the interior, the surface with malachite and azurite encrustation; the fitted zitan cover of domed form surmounted by a celadon jade finial in the form of a crouching lion; the zitan stand of square form carved on the upper surface with a circular groove fitting the foot ring of the vessel, inscribed inside the circular groove with a matching six-character inscription, further inscribed on the top and underside of the top panel and three side panels with colophons written by celebrated scholars in the Qianlong and Jiaqing period including Ruan Yuan, Weng Fanggang and Zhang Tingji (3)

Collection of Zhang Tingji (1768-1848).
Collection of Wu Yun (1811-1883).
Collection of Takeuchi Kinpei (1873-1960).
Private Japanese collection.

Ruan Yuan, Jiguzhai zhongdingyiqi kuanzhi, (Archaic Bronzes Inscriptions in the Jiguzhai Studio), 1804, vol. 6, p. 6.
Zhang Tingji, Qingyige suocang guqiwu wen, (Writings on Ancient Objects in the Qingyige Collection), 1848, vol. 1, p. 34.
Wu Shifen, Meigulu jinwen, (The Records of Pursuing Antiquity: Archaic Bronze Inscriptions), 1850, vol. 1.3, p. 55.
Xu Tongbo, Conggutang kuanzhixue, (Studies of Archaic Bronze Inscriptions in the Conggutang Studio), 1854, vol. 3, p. 30.
Zhu Shanqi, Jingwuxinshi yiqi kuanzhi, (Archaic Bronze Inscriptions in the Jingwuxinshi Studio), 1854, vol. 1, p. 47.
Wu Yun, Liangleixuan yiqi tushi, (Illustrated Catalogue of Archaic Bronze Vessels from the Liangleixuan Collection), 1872, vol. 6, p. 41.
Wu Dacheng, Kezhai jigulu, (Kezhai's [Wu Dacheng] Records of Collecting Antiquities), 1896, vol. 9, p. 4.
Sheng Yu, Yuhuage jinwen, (Archaic Bronze Inscriptions in the Yuhuage Studio), manuscript in the Beijing University Library, p. 164.
Zou An, Zhoujinwen cun, (Surviving Writings from the Zhou Dynasty), 1915, vol. 3, p. 98.
Liu Tizhi, Xiaojiaojingge jinwen taben, (Rubbings of Archaic Bronze Inscriptions in the Xiaojiaojingge Studio), 1935, vol. 7, p. 68.
Luo Zhenyu, Sandai jijin wencun, (Surviving Writings from the Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties), 1936, vol. 7, p. 13.
Noel Barnard & Cheung Kwong-Yue, Rubbings and Hand Copies of Bronze Inscriptions in Chinese, Japanese, European, American, And Australasian Collections, 1978, vol. 6, p. 574, no. 674.
Yan Yiping, Jinwen Zongji, (Corpus of Bronze Inscriptions), Taipei, 1983, no. 2205.
The Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Yinzhou jinwen jicheng, (Compendium of Yin and Zhou Bronze Inscriptions), 1984, vol. 6, p. 202, no. 3543.
Wu Zhenfeng, Shangzhou qingtongqi mingwen ji tuxiang jicheng, (Compendium of Inscriptions and Images of Bronzes from the Shang and Zhou Dynasties), Shanghai, 2012, vol. 9, p. 119, no. 4360.

The x-ray suggests that the bronze is in overall good condition. The top panel of the stand has shrunk and been consolidated, which is typical of hardwood.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

During the reign of the Qianlong and Jiaqing emperors, the study of epigraphic materials, namely writings on archaic bronzes, ancient stelae and other ancient objects emerged as one of the most vibrant and prominent disciplines in the realm of Confucian academics. This, in turn, led to a trend among literati elites to seek archaic bronzes, among which the present piece is one of a few vessels that can be traced. What is most extraordinary about this piece is that it is documented in interactions between top literati collectors of the time.

The present piece was bought by Zhang Tingji in the seventh year of the Jiaqing era (1798). Twenty years after the purchase, Zhang Tingji recalled this event in his Qingyige suocang guqiwu wen (Inscriptions on Ancient Objects in the Qingyige Studio): “In the seventh year of the Jiaqing era, I rode from my residence in Hufangqiao to the Chongfusi street inside the Shuncheng gate to visit Chen Gongbo. On my way back, I stopped by the Ningyuanzhai antique shop and saw this bronze vessel. The malachite encrustation is as green as kingfisher's hair; the cuprite encrustation is as red as cinnabar and the silvery patina is as white as mercury. The inscription is finely carved with its sharp edges remaining intact. It is indeed among the top rank of Shang and Zhou bronzes.”

As recorded by Zhang Tingji, four days after he bought this gui vessel, Wen Yiquan, who had been searching for this piece for a long time, came to see it. When Mr. Wen saw the vessel, he applauded and said "this is more thrilling than earning the highest degree in the imperial examination." Zhang laughed and said: "Yes, indeed." Ironically, Zhang Tingji never passed the final stage of imperial examination although he ranked first place in the provincial exam in the third year of the Jiaqing era. In fact, Zhang Tingji was in Beijing the previous year for a national examination and failed, and Wen Yiquan was the chief examiner of the following year's examination. Wen Yiquan was the second son of Wen Fanggang, who was the grand secretary of the cabinet during the reign of the Qianlong emperor and the private tutor of emperor Jiaqing, but was particularly famous for his works on ancient writings and collection of paintings and calligraphy. One year later, the present gui vessel received two comments from Wen Fanggang who corrected Zhang Tingji's overly optimistic attribution of the maker of this gui. Probably around the same time, another prominent epigraphist, Ruan Yuan, wrote to Zhang Tingji that he had already included the inscription on this vessel in his book, Jiguzhai zhongdingyiqi kuanzhi. Another famous scholar Wu Dongfa also wrote to Zhang Tingji, with his comments on the interpretation of this gui's inscription. Zhang Tingji gathered together all these correspondences and commissioned a craftsman to carve them on the stand of this vessel. After Zhang Tingji’s death, this piece entered the collection of Wu Yun (1811-1883) who was a countryman of Zhang Tingji but resided in Suzhou for most of his life. Wu Yun added one further note to the stand indicating that it was a gift from Zhang Tingji’s grandson. Like colophons on fine paintings and calligraphy, these correspondences attest to the fine quality and provenance of this remarkable bronze.

The box for this lot is inscribed with a research note written by Sugimura Yuzo (1900-1978).