A LARGE GILT-SPLASHED BRONZE TWO-HANDLED BALUSTER VASE 17TH/18TH CENTURY

cast in two sections, the ovoid body resting on a tall splayed foot encircled by raised bosses, below a band of ruyi panels to the sides, the tall neck with a pair of raised filets rising to widely flared rim and set to either side with sinuous chilong-form handles, the deep brown patina covered with irregular splashes of gold

This vase is generally in good condition, but does have a small area of repair (12mm by 5mm) to the where the base of the ne3ck meets the body. The lower section above the foot to one side has some spotting to one area of one side, which may be been caused by a damp environment. There area some nicks and minor scratches throughout which is consistent with its age.
"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."

This elegant baluster shape, with prominently swelling shoulder and wide everted rim, is particularly attractive for its applied decoration of sinuous chilong that captures a sense of movement and dynamism suited to the subject and complementary to the irregular gold splashes. A vase of this type, also cast on the body with masks, was sold in these rooms, 11th May 2011, lot 236; another was sold at Christie’s London, 23rd May 1985, lot 156; a third was sold at Christie’s New York, 19th September 2007, lot 44; and a further example, cast with angled shoulder, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 13th January 1987, lot 422. See also a baluster vase of similar proportions and cast on the shoulder with ruyi heads, but lacking the gold splashes, included in the exhibition The Second Bronze Age. Later Chinese Metalwork, Sydney Moss Ltd., London, 1991, cat. no. 64, and possibly the same vase sold in our New York rooms, 20th June 1978, lot 163.

The origin of gold-splashed decoration remains a source of speculation. Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss in Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, p. 184, mention that the popularity of this surface decoration was possibly fostered by Xuande bronzes of the Ming dynasty where the appearance of the gilt-splashes was caused by the uneven surface patination of the vessel. Some scholars have linked gilt-splashed decoration on bonzes to qingbai and Longquan wares of the Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties. On the other hand, Robert Mowry in China’s Renaissance in Bronze, Phoenix, 1993, p. 169, notes the appearance of fine paper enlivened with flacks of gold and silver from the early 15th century and suggests that this ‘might have also played a role in the creation of such abstract decoration, either directly inspiring those who designed the bronzes or indirectly moulding taste to appreciate objects sprinkled with gold and silver’.