A bronze 'mythical beast' pole finial, Shang dynasty | 商 青銅獸面杖首

A bronze 'mythical beast' pole finial

Shang dynasty 

商 青銅獸面杖首

well cast as a hollow conical socket issuing from a ferocious bovine mask with bulging eyes and a broad flattened nose, flanked by flaring ears, all below tall curved horns cast with intaglio coil details, the conical socket with further intaglio motifs and pierced with two apertures, the bronze with a reddish-brown patina with malachite encrustation, stand (2)

Height 4½ in., 11.43 cm