A LARGE GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE TEMPLE BELL QING DYNASTY, KANGXI PERIOD

the slightly spreading cylindrical body cast in high relief with two bands of four rectangular panels enclosing scaly five-clawed dragons, divided by smaller vertical dragon panels, all between a lotus-lappet band at the domed top and a trigram band at the octagonally arched rim, the crown in the form of a double-headed mythical beast, the metal patinated to a dark brown tone with irregular gilt splashes  

Museum fur Ostasiatische Kunst, Berlin, 2001-2003 (on loan).

Kangxi bells of this elongated form are rare and more common are those of a rounded barrel shape; for example see the imperial temple bell sold in these rooms, 8th November 2006, lot 36. Compare also another barrel-shaped bell, made for the Temple of Agriculture in Beijing, sold in these rooms, 30th March 1978, lot 61, and again, 17th October 1978, lot 110.

The present bell takes its form from Ming dynasty bells; see a bronze bell with a very similar dragon handle and inscribed with a date corresponding to 1499 A.D., in the Sumitomo collection, illustrated in Sheila Riddell, Dated Chinese Antiquities 600-1650, London, 1979, pl. 124; and another sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 14th November 1990, lot 420.