A BRONZE RITUAL TRIPOD FOOD VESSEL, ZHU DING MING... Lot 117

A BRONZE RITUAL TRIPOD FOOD VESSEL, ZHU DING MING DYNASTY the well rounded sides with a pair of bail handles rises from the rim and raised on three columnar supports, decorated with a wide band of repeating tight scrolls interspersed with three taotie masks and clouds, raised on an 18th century well carved reticulated hardwood triform stand 29cm high (without stand), 36cm high (including stand) PROVENANCE: The Ding was acquired by Sir Reginald Johnston, tutor to Puyi, last Emperor of China, between 1919 and 1924 and first Westerner to be given access to the Forbidden City; gifted to Johnston's fiancee, Eileen Power (engaged 1928-1935), later wife of Sir Michael Postan, thence by decent.