Important Récipient Tripode Rituel Archaïque en Bronze, Liding Fin de la Dynastie Shang, ca. 1200 avant J.-C.

la panse aux parois profondes et arrondies divisée en trois légers lobes, reposant sur trois pieds colonnes ornés de cigales stylisées regardant vers le haut, les bords agrémentés de deux anses arquées quadrangulaires face à face, un léger gradin le long du col surmontant une bande de cigales horizontales stylisées entrecoupées de mamelons ceints d'un léger bourrelet et de rainures en spirales, la panse ornée de trois masques de taotie et trois dragons la tête en bas, une large arête verticale ornée en creux de motifs géométriques coupant chaque masque et chaque paire de dragons alternés sur fond de leiwen, un seul pictogramme shi à l'intérieur, la surface intérieure et extérieure entièrement recouverte d'une belle patine incrustée bleu-vert et rouge, accidents et restaurations, D.W 35/43

Excavated at Wuguancun, Anyang, Henan (according to David-Weill's notes).
Purchased in Shanghai 7th November 1934 by Orvar Karlbeck (Purchase number 429, Orvar Karlbeck, 'Report 7. Shanghai 7th November 1934'. Volume I. The Karlbeck Syndicate Archive, Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm).
Acquired from Orvar Karlbeck, Stockholm, in 1935 for $1500 (according to David-Weill's notes).

Umehara Sueji, Yin Hsu. Ancient Capital of the Shang Dynasty at An-Yang, Tokyo, 1964, pl. 68.1. 
Bernard Karlgren, 'Marginalia on some Bronze Albums', in Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, no. 31, 1969, p. 302.

The x-rays show several cracks to the sides of the vessel, the longest ca. 13cm long and extending from the rim into the base, and a second ca. 7cm long crack on the lower inside. The three legs may have been filled and stabilized in the base. There is a ca. 3x2cm large area of loss to the bronze visible on the inside of the vessel. The surface is heavily encrusted on the inside and outside. The is extensive malachite and azurite encrustation and traces of earth. The bronze has split in several parts around the rim, handles and feet. There are small losses the the encrustations on the pointed and raised parts of the design (most notably on the flanges) and around the edges of the feet.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

According to David David-Weill's notes, this magnificent archaic bronze vessel was purchased in 1935 from Orvar Karlbeck (1879-1967), a Swedish railroad engineer turned collector/dealer who was stationed in China between 1906 and 1927. Karlbeck returned to China between 1928 and 1934 to source archaic bronzes for a small circle of western museums and collectors including David David-Weill. It is after his trip to China in March to December 1934 that David David-Weill purchased this magnificent bronze liding from Orvar Karlbeck who in turn had purchased it in Shanghai on November 7th, 1934. It was originally excavated from Wuguancun and acquired there from a Beijing dealer before being passed on, private conversation with Dr. Valerie Juergens who provided the following reference, compare Orvar Karlbeck, Purchase number 429, Orvar Karlbeck, 'Report 7. Shanghai 7th November 1934'. Volume I. The Karlbeck Syndicate Archive, Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm..

A liding of the same size and design is in the Oppenheim Collection, London. It is illustrated by Bernard Karlgren in 'New Studies on Chinese Bronzes', Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, no. 9, 1937, pl. X, no. 248, and in Bernard Karlgren, 'Marginalia on some Bronze Albums', in Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, no. 31, 1959, pl. 23.b, where Karlgren refers to the 'exactly similar vessel in the D. Weill Collection', ibid., p. 302. Other examples featuring cicadas on a band below the rim are illustrated in Max Loehr, Ritual Vessels of Bronze Age China, New York, 1968, p. 68, no. 26, Edward Kidder, Early Chinese Bronzes in the City Art Museum of St. Louis, St. Louis, 1956, pl. 7.

The single pictogramm cast below the inside rim depicts a a hand holding a document and may be transcribed as shi referring to a 'recorder' or 'scribe'. The same pictogramm appears on a ritual bronze vessel, gui, from the Brundage Collection, published in Rene-Yvon Levebvre d'Argence, Bronze Vessels of Ancient China in the Avery Brundage Collection, Tokyo/San Francisco, 1977, pl. IX. left and fig. 11. d'Argence refers to another ritual bronze cast with the same pictogramm in the Freer Collection, see John A. Pope, The Freer Bronzes, Washington, 1969, p. 53.