3 | ARCHAISTIC BRONZE LEI, INLAID WITH SILVER AND GOLD Ming dynasty, 16th century Height: 35.5 cm | 14 in Click image for full size version The wine vessel (lei) is supported on a tall splayed foot, and is of compressed ovoid form. Its foot is decorated with a pierced openwork wave band, filled in with double ‘S’ scrolls – all inlaid in silver and gold, and resting on a vertical foot rim. The shoulders carry two boldly cast handles in the form of a mythical creature that combines elements of both dragon and qilin; between these, a tapir head protrudes from a wide band of four raised taotie masks – also inlaid in silver and gold. Below, twelve triangular lappets with abstract designs – simply inlaid in gold and silver on a patterned background – descend onto the body’s plain ground; the neck, upper shoulders, and mouth of the vessel are also left plain. Patches of green and brown encrustation hide areas of the bronze’s gunmetal patina, and re-create the appearance of a much earlier buried bronze. This lei is based on a vessel from the Western Zhou dynasty, 1027 – 771 BC. A vessel from that period is illustrated in Sotheby’s, New York Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art catalogue, March 30th 2006 – lot 261. CIRAM thermoluminescence test no. 0508-OA-120R-2, taken from the core of this bronze, confirms the dating.