A CEREMONIAL BRONZE HELMET, ZHOU, LATE SHANG DYNASTYChina, 13th-11th century BC. The helmet, modeled with a prominent central taotie mask and once surmounted by a loop-form finial, tapers gracefully to cover the neck, ears, and cheeks. The décor in high relief, with prominently raised ears, brows and nostrils.Provenance: Jerry Vest and Peter Kuring, Woollahra, Sydney, Australia. Barry Stern Galleries, Paddington, Sydney, Australia, April 1987, by repute acquired from the above. John Williams, Sydney, Australia, before 1992, by repute acquired from the above. A noted private collection in the United States, acquired from the above. Peter Kuring (1951-1987), known as the King of Sydney Style, was a well-known Australian interior decorator and orchidologist. He entered the design scene early in his life, became popular amongst Australia’s elite, and was much loved for his flamboyant attire. He operated an importpany with his partner, Jerry, and they often traveled to the Orient during the 1970s to bring back artifacts for clients. Aware of his illness, one of Peter’s last wishes was to have a selling exhibition at Barry Stern’s Gallery, which happened on 21 April 1987. The helmet was eventually acquired by John Williams (d. 2015), a local antique dealer and friend of Peter and Jerry. John spent over 45 years in the antiques and arts trade, first as an auction specialist, then as a noted antique dealer, and finally as an auctioneer. He sold his business to Theodore Bruce shortly before his death.Condition: Good condition,mensurate with age. Wear and casting flaws. The loop finial lost. One lower corner of ca. 3-4 cm reattached or replaced. Possibly minor old fills to lower edge. Signs of weathering and erosion, corrosion, minor dents and scratches. Fine, naturally grown patina overall, with malachite and cuprite encrustation as well as a patch of distinct olive-green.Weight: 1,717 gDimensions: Height 25 cmThe designs of the Shang people are unrivaled in the history of art. Shang dynasty armor and weaponry are no exception. While we know of bronze examples, it is questionable whether metallurgical techniques at the time were advanced enough to produce armor that was light enough to actually wear. Shang armor was more often fashioned from other materials, like lacquer and leather, which were seen as both economical and light enough for battle. Literature suggests that the bulk of Shang armor and weapons were intended to be used as ceremonial ornamentation or for use in funerary rituals.Literatureparison:A related bronze helmet was unearthed in a Shang tomb at Dayangzhou, Xingan country, Jiangxi Province in 1989.pare another related bronze helmet, 24.1 cm high, dated to the Shang dynasty, 13th to early 11th century BC, in the Saint Louis Art Museum, object number 283:1949.pare a related bronze helmet in the collection of the Nanking Academy of Sciences, illustrated in Da