Warring States, 475 BC - 221 BC

17.8cm high,  19.8cm external diameter

RARE SILVER INLAID DING
战国青铜错银盖鼎

Description: The entire bronze ding is rich is inlaid decoration is in silver wire and sheet, even on the two handles and the three legs. Silver inlaid vessels are rarer than those inlaid by gold, because the melting point of silver is closer to bronze thus requiring higher technical control. This ding still maintains majority of its original silver inlay patterns, which are divided into a few bands. Each has whorls and zigzag motifs representing clouds and thunder. In the middle of the domed cover, four “ruyis” make a cross shaped leaf. All motifs are similar to the those on the painted lacquerwares typically found in the kingdom of Chu, which might have been fashionable at that time.

Provenance: A French collection

Reference: For a closest example of this type, see Lot 1253 from Christie's New York "Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art Part One", 14th September 2012