Chinese Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 220) bronze lidded censor, round form, on three legs, incised characters on both front and back sides, handles on either side, beautiful patina, sits on beautifully carved hardwood stand made later during the 19th century. Total size: 6 3/4" high x 8 1/4" wide including handles. Bronze alone is 6 1/4" high

A Han dynasty bronze hu vase. Raised on high, cupped foot. The body cast with three grooves bands around the circumference and below the girth. Another three grooved bands (one smaller) above the girth. Two mask handles with loose rings (original to the vase) on opposing sides of the shoulder. One larger grooved band under the rim. Condition sound with the vessel of solid casting, no active rust and good patina...

Chinese belt hook from the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D.220), made of bronze and gilded, inlaid with turquoise, beautiful green mineral deposits. Elegant elongated form with a chimera head on one end and the head of a dragon or serpent on the other. Comes with a custom stand. Size of belt hook: 7 1/2" long

Complete footed cast bronze Hu (wine container), terminating curved and bulbous contour flaring on square mouth. Banded edge and lidded square cover. Has a slight apex top with four serpentine shaped mounted on a terminal bends. The ring handles of the hu measures 2 1/2" diameter with loped and mounted on a taotie mask which is molded in low relief...

Chinese Han Dynasty belt hook. Made of gilt bronze with chimera motif in stippling technique. Arching form with the "hook" portion in the form of a chimera head.

Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 220)

Dimensions: 5 3/8" long x 1 1/4" wide

Rare Small Chinese Han Dynasty Bronze Ding (Published)

This bronze ding was made during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220). Its form, that of a three-legged covered cooking vessel, is well-known amongst Han Dynasty bronzes. However, most examples are larger; this is a rare small example. The body stands on three legs that are in the form of bears. On either side of the vessel are square handles...

Rare Chinese Western Zhou Dynasty Bronze Chariot Bell

This rare and interesting bronze bell was made during the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 1100 - 771 BC). It would have originally been fitted to a horse-drawn chariot, ringing constantly as the chariot went along...

Chinese Warring States Bronze Axe Head

This bronze axe head dates approximately to the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC). Inside are remains of its wooden shaft. Length 16 cm (6.25 inches). Unfortunately it has been broken in two and re-stuck.

For information: this axe head is part of a modest yet very interesting private English collection of Chinese antiquities acquired during the 1990s that we recently acquired...

Rare Large Chinese Han Dynasty Bronze Xian (Published)

This exceptionally large and rare bronze xian (steamer) was made during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220) and actually comprises three separate vessels that combine to form the xian. The middle section sits within the lower section, and on top sits the upper section, the part that has the grill in its base to allow steam to enter the vessel. Each section is decorated with raised bands and a pair of taotie ring handles...

Archaic Chinese bronze bowl with rounded sides and flared rim. Cast with a ring foot. The outer body of the bowl is cast with two bands of repeating patterns interrupted by two handles, one one each side. The handles are taotie masks with loose rings. Beautiful green patination and mineral deposits.

Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 220)

Dimensions: 5" high x 11" wide

Ancient Chinese bronze gui, a food vessel used during rituals. Round form body with high, round foot and two handles. The shoulders of each handle is decorated with animal heads. A band of archaic motifs wraps around the body and the foot.

Age: Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC -256 BC)

Dimensions: 6 1/8" high x 11 1/2" long x 7 3/4" wide

Ancient Chinese Archaic Era bronze dou, footed vessel used to contain food. This traditionally dou vessel consists of two pieces. The larger piece is a circular bowl supported on a stem which gradually tapers downward and outward to form a round foot. And the lid which is a shallower round bowl on a shorter stem which is inverted and snugly fitted over the bottom bowl. Two ring handles are attached to the rim of the lower bowl on either side...

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...

Rare Chinese Western Han Dynasty Small Bronze Ding

This bronze tripod vessel (ding) was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8). The vessel stands on three simple short legs and has two sturdy handles on opposing sides. The vessel is holed in places and has fairly heavy corrosion, mostly azurite (blue), but also malachite (green) and cuprite (brown). Across the base is the mould casting line...

Rare Chinese Western Han Dynasty Bronze Cauldron / Jar

This domestic bronze cooking vessel was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8) or possibly earlier. The bottom half is semi-spherical, designed to sit in a fire; indeed there are still remains of carbon deposits to the base. It has two handles that are of differing sizes. It is puzzling that it would have been made with different sized handles, although there is no obvious sign that either have been added later. There is an ...

Rare Large Chinese Western Han Dynasty Bronze Cauldron / Jar

This domestic bronze cooking vessel was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8) or possibly earlier. The bottom half is semi-spherical, designed to sit in a fire; indeed there are still remains of carbon deposits to the base. It has two handles on opposing sides at the shoulder. Across the base and up the sides is the mould casting line. There is malachite (green) corrosion particularly to the inner surface, with a few ...

Chinese Western Han Dynasty Cylindrical Bronze Box

This vessel dates to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8). The cylindrical body has two taotie (monster) head fixtures to which are attached rings, twisted bronze double links and the carrying handle. The cover is dome-shaped with its own ring. Vessels of this general form evolved from earlier wooden vessels made during the Eastern Zhou period that were made from bending a thin sheet of wood into a circle that were held together by circul...

This ancient bronze dates to the first half of the first millennium BC. It is exceptional for the presence of a leopard, or feline at the top, as the majority of similar pieces are unadorned. The piece is free of repair and measures 9-3/4" in length and 4" in height. Guaranteed ancient. A rare and uncommon example.