A rare archaistic bronze silver-wire inlaid tripod vessel, DingSong/Ming DynastyThe deep round body flanked by two upright loop handles and supported on three cylindrical legs, finely inlaid with silver-wire around the exterior with archaistic taotie masks with prominent eyes and curling horns, on a leiwen ground, the legs each decorated with a cicada motif, later wood cover with carnelian finial, wood stand. 21.2cm (8 2/8in) high (3 ).注脚宋/明 銅嵌銀饕餮紋鼎The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no.C119g91, dated 20 June 2019, is consistent with the dating of this lot. According to the test it was estimated that the date of last firing was between 600 and 1000 years ago.Oxford Authentication Ltd公司熱釋光檢測結果（2019年6月20日，編號C119g91）顯示年代與本拍品年代一致。結果顯示本拍品最後燒製的日期約在600至1000年前。The decorative technique of silver-wire inlay on bronze first appeared during the late Zhou dynasty, and was revived and became popular from the Song dynasty onwards when archaism became a predominant style in the production of artefacts. The Ming period metal smith known as Shi Sou (Old man Shi) was famous for specialising in the production of bronze objects with inlaid designs, and his style became the precedent for later wares, made from the 17th century and throughout the Qing dynasty.Compare with a related silver-wire inlaid tripod vessel, 17th/18th century, illustrated by M.Maucuer, Bronzes de la Chine imperiale des Song aux Qing, Paris, 2013, p.101, no.52. A related bronze tripod incense burner with gold and silver inlay, 16th/17th century, is illustrated by R.Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, London, 1990,p.53, pl.41. See also another related silver-wire and gold inlaid tripod incense burner, early 17th century, illustrated in Later Chinese Bronzes: The Saint Louis Art Museum and Robert E.Kresko Collections, Saint Louis, 2008, no.9.