A BRONZE RITUAL WINE VESSEL, GU, SHANG DYNASTY
China, late Shang dynasty, 13th-11th century BC. The trumpet-shaped neck is finely cast with four scroll-filled blades, the center section with two taotie masks divided by hooked flanges, repeated on the spreading foot with four matching quadrants bearing a rare cicada motif. The interior of the foot with an incised inscription.

Provenance: Private English collection, acquired in Hong Kong 1980s-1990s, and thence by descent in the same family.
Condition: The vessel has an anthracite and russet patina with extensive malachite and lapis encrustation. Some losses due to corrosion. The encrustations have been partially removed with a micro chisel on one of the four blades, revealing the original design and russet patina of the bronze.

Weight: 960.7 grams
Dimensions: Height 26 cm

Matching box. (2)

Auction result comparison: Compare with a closely related Gu at Christies New York on September 18th-19th, 2019, in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, lot 991.

商代青銅觚
中國，商代晚期，公元前十一至十三世紀。饕餮與蟬紋飾，足内有文字符號。

來源：英國私人收藏，于1980年代至90年代購於香港，自此在同一家族保存至今。
品相：黑灰色與赤褐色包漿，大面積孔雀石綠及青金石藍結殼。由於腐蝕造成局部缺失，四劍槽処局 部脫殼，露出了原始紋飾與赤褐色。

重量：960.7 克
尺寸：高26 厘米