A LARGE ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL FOOD VESSEL AND COVER, DING, WARRING STATES China, 5^th century BC. The large and heavily cast vessel of globular form raised on three cabriole legs, flanked at the shoulder by upright rectangular loop handles, the domed cover surmounted by a raised circular handle encircled by four small loop handles. The upper body and the cover cast with a dense design of archaic scroll and kui dragons, a whorl motif cast inside the circular handle on the cover.

Provenance: Ader-Tajan, Paris, 1 February 1994, lot 292. French private collection, acquired from the above.
Condition: Condition commensurate with age. Old wear, casting flaws, minor cracks and losses. Fine, naturally grown patina with malachite and cuprite encrustation, some corrosion and minimal warping. The legs with old repairs. One area of loss to the back with distinct metal fills, well visible on additional images at www.zacke.at (no hidden damages). Displaying remarkably well overall, the design still crisp and consistent.

Weight: 6.9 kg
Dimensions: Height 36.5 cm, Width 35.7 cm (handle to handle)

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related ding, 37.2 cm high, also dated to the 5^th century BC, at Christie’s Hong Kong in The Imperial Sale on 31 May 2010, lot 2072, sold for HKD 1,220,000.

戰國大型青銅高足盛器
中國，公元前五世紀。大而厚重的的球狀三足盛器，肩部兩側是直立的矩形耳朵，圓頂蓋上是一個凸起的圓形鈕，周圍有四個小繫環，器身夔龍圖案，封蓋圓形提手內鑄有雷紋。

來源：巴黎Ader-Tajan藝廊, 1994年2月 1日 lot 292；法國私人收藏，購於上述藝廊。
品相：狀況與年齡相稱。 磨損、鑄件瑕疵、輕微裂紋和缺損。自然細膩的包漿，帶有紅綠色鏽斑，有一些腐蝕和最小翹曲。修復的腿。背部有一個明顯的金屬填充區域丟失，在 www.zacke.at 上可清晰見到細節圖片，沒有隱藏的損壞。整體狀況非常好，紋飾仍然清晰一致。

重量：6.9 公斤
尺寸：高36.5 厘米，寬35.7 厘米 (柄至柄)

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近的鼎，高 37.2 厘米 ，同樣為公元前五世紀，見香港佳士得The Imperial Sale 2010年5月31日 lot 2072, 售價HKD 1,220,000。