LATE 20TH CENTURY
A COLLECTION OF FIVE CARVED HARDSTONE VESSELS WITH REMOVABLE LIDS, EACH SCULPTED IN THE FORM OF AN ARCHAIC RITUAL DING OR TRIPOD CAULDRON. THE GROUP CONTAINS TRADITIONAL THREE-LEGGED TRIPOD FORMS AND FOUR-LEGGED RECTANGULAR GEOMETRIC VARIATIONS. ALL PIECES ARE CARVED FROM A VARIEGATED GREY, CHARCOAL, AND CREAM-WHITE STRATED HARDSTONE WITH OPAQUE INCLUSIONS. THE BODIES AND COVERS ARE INCISED IN LOW RELIEF WITH ARCHAIC TAOTIE MOTIFS, RETICULATED DRAGON SCROLLS, AND RECTANGULAR REGISTERS CONTAINING INCISED CHINESE INSCRIPTIONS. EACH VESSEL IS FITTED WITH TWO UPRIGHT LOOP HANDLES ON THE RIM AND A FLANGED COAXIAL COVER KNOB. THREE OF THE TRIPOD VESSEL BASES BEAR AN APOCRYPHAL RECESSED FOUR-CHARACTER MARK ENCLOSED WITHIN A SQUARE BORDER ON THE UNDERSIDE.
ALL VESSELS MEASURE APPROX. 5″ X 4″