Rare Large Chinese Tang Dynasty Bronze Bowl

This large bronze bowl was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is quite thin, made by the spinning technique as opposed to having been cast (see below for more information). It has a convex base. Around the inner surface there are several double bands of incised lines. There are also bands of lightly incised lines to the outer surface below the rim although this mostly obscured by the corrosion. There is malachite corrosion to the surface that is particularly heavy to the outer surface where there are also deposits of "calcified" soil. Diameter 24 cm (9.5 inches). There are a couple of holes but there is no sign of restoration or repair.

For information, from the fine 1987 book, Korean Art from The Brooklyn Museum, by Robert J. Moes, to describe the manufacturing process of spun bronze vessels: "Spun bronze involved mounting a small bronze cylinder on a lathe-like device and drawing the malleable metal out to its final shape while it spun at high speed. This technique permitted thinner walls, making the vessel considerably lighter than its cast counterpart, thus requiring less bronze." Although this description is of Korean spun bronze bowls, the same technique was undoubtedly used in the manufacture of Chinese examples.

This vessel is one of many items from a late private Sussex collector we have recently acquired, several of which we actually sold ourselves over twenty-five years ago (our original price labels with stock numbers were still on the items !).

IMPORTANT: Please note that the wooden stand in the first image is not included in the sale.

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