An archaic bronze tripod vessel and spoon, jiaodou. Han Dynasty

An archaic bronze tripod vessel and spoon, jiaodou. Han Dynasty

The rounded sides rising to the wide flared rim, the handle with a zoomorphic head, possibly in the form of a camel, supported on three elongated legs, the curved spoon with a deep ladle. The Jiaodou 33cm (13in) long, spoon 19.5cm (7¾in) long. (2).. Estimate: £6,000 - 8,000. Unsold

Provenance: Dunlop Collection, Toronto
Frank Crane, Hundred Antiques, circa 1970
Yan Collection, New York, purchased by the present owner circa 2000

Note: Compare a related vessel in the Victoria and Albert museum, London, dated by inscription to 36BC, with a mythical-beast head and shorter legs, illustrated by A.J.Koop, Early Chinese Bronzes, London, 1924, pl.59a. For a related jiaodou with a duck-shaped handle and spout, see Lu Yao, Lee Kong Chian Art Museum, Singapore, 2000, pl.372.

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Art, 14 May 2009. New Bond Street www.bonhams.com