Beschreibung:

AN EXTREMELY RARE BRONZE RITUAL VESSEL AND COVER, XING Yongzheng, cyclically dated to the Gengxu year corresponding to 1730 and of the period Finely cast, the deep bowl-shaped body supported on three lappet-form feet, with a foliate scroll band incorporating the date and reign mark below the lip reading Da Qing Yongzheng gengxu nian zhi, above a key fret band and wide honeycomb diaper band, interrupted by opposing dragon handles, the top of the domed cover cast with flower-head with overlapping petals radiating leafy vines, surrounded by three upright lappets echoing the feet of the vessel and bands of wan diaper, key fret and foliate scrolls, the exterior surfaces with a rich dark brown patina, the interior a rich orange-gold color. 10 1/8in (25.6cm) high Fußnoten 清雍正 銅錦紋龍耳三足蓋鉶 《大清雍正庚戌年造》款 Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 26-27 February 1981, lot 277 來源： 紐約蘇富比，1981年2月26-27日，拍品編號277 The form of this vessel is based on one from the Zhou dynasty. In the Zhouli (Rights of Zhou) it is recorded that the vessel used for serving geng (thick broth) is called a xing. The cover of this vessel when removed and inverted can be used to present the broth during rituals. When the Manchus established the Qing dynasty and took control of China, they also adopted the Chinese practice of making offerings to their ancestors, a tradition that had been established during the Zhou dynasty. The Qing court therefore had ceremonial vessels made to resemble the Zhou prototypes in order to give the foreign Manchus a veneer of legitimacy and to create a sense of continuity. Xing were used in pairs, and because of the relatively short twelve-year Yongzheng reign, examples of the period are extremely rare. More common are Qianlong period examples, such as the Qianlong mark and period example which was sold at Sotheby Parke-Bernet, New York, 20 June 1978, lot 171; and another which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 31 May 2017, lot 3019. A Qianlong mark and period xing without its cover was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 2 October 2017, lot 209, and a Qianlong mark and period xing cover was sold at Christie's New York, 16 September 2016, lot 1225. A Qianlong period 'moon white' glazed porcelain example in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing is illustrated by Evelyn S. Rawski and Jessica Rawson (eds.), China: The Three Emperors 1662-1795, London, 2005, p. 125, no. 36. A bronze ritual wine vessel, jue of the same date as the current lot and with a similar mark and patina was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 3 December 2015, lot 30. It is possible these two vessels once formed part of the same ritual set.