A FINE AND RARE SILVER INLAID BALUSTER SHAPED WINE VESSEL 'HU'

Description:

China, Song/Yuan dynasty
H. 30,2 cm
The wine bronze ewer with brown surface imitates forms of archaic bronze vessels of the Spring and Autumn period (Chunqiu, 770-476 BC) and is decorated with black oxidised silver inlays forming three bands with geometric motifs on the neck, shoulder and the high foot and large scales on the belly. A movable ring attached to an angular appliqué serves as handle. Weight: 3,716 kg.
Max Müller (1867-1960), German consul in Hankow, collected in China between 1905 and 1912. By descent to his daughter Irmgard Müller-Doertenbach (1909-2011) - Important Austrian private collection
Published: Zeileis 'Von Shang bis Qing - Dreieinhalb Jahrtausende Chinesische Bronze', 1999, no. 79, pp. 230-231
Minior losses and wear, slightly chipped