A BRONZE ‘ARCHAISTIC’ SQUARE VESSEL, WANLI MARK AND PERIOD China, 1573-1619. The body supported on a spreading foot and rising to a long neck applied with two tubular handles reminiscent of arrow vases (touhu) and flaring toward the galleried rim. The body is cast to each side in low relief with a taotie mask against a key-fret ground, divided by flanges to the corners. The base cast with four-character mark Wanli nianzhi within a countersunk square reserve and of the period.

Provenance: The Mee-Din and Robert W. Moore Collection. Robert W. Moore is a famed California collector of Chinese and Korean art, whose passion began in the 1950s when he served in the US Army and was stationed in Korea. After his return to the United States, he began collecting Korean and later also Chinese works of art, and over the following decades became a very knowledgeable, discerning, and influential collector.
Condition: Good condition with old wear and minor casting flaws, including minor losses. Few minuscule nicks, occasional light scratches, small dents. Fine, naturally grown, golden-brown patina.

Weight: 2,724 g
Dimensions: Height 29.5 cm

The neck similarly cast in high relief with taotie and flanges above pendent stiff leaves with taotie masks against a key-fret ground, above bands of spiral bosses in high relief. The foot with stylized taotie masks formed by scrolling designs.

With a later Japanese bronze lining for floral arrangements and with a Japanese wood storage box. (2)

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related fang gu vase, dated 15^th-16^th century, of related form and with similar designs, also with Japanese bronze lining and Japanese wood storage box, at Christie’s Hong Kong in Leisurely Delights on 29 May 2019, lot 2952, sold for HKD 112,500.

萬曆款及年代青銅仿古方觚
中國，1573-1619年。近似於方柱形，口、足外撇，頸部兩側圓柱形雙耳，如投壺一般；中部呈方形，四面雷紋地飾獸面紋。底座可見“萬歷年製”四字。

來源：Mee-Din 與Robert W. Moore 中國收藏。Robert W. Moore是加州著名的中國和韓國藝術收藏家，他的收藏熱情始於 1950 年代。當時他在美國軍隊服役並駐紮在韓國。回到美國後，他開始收藏韓國和中國的藝術品，在之後幾十年裡，他成為了一位知識淵博、眼光敏銳、影響深遠的收藏家。
品相：狀況良好，有舊磨損和輕微鑄造瑕疵，輕微缺損。 少量細小的刻痕、劃痕和小凹痕。自然生長且細膩的金棕色包漿。

重量：2,724 克
尺寸：高 29.5 厘米

日本青銅襯墊，雕花木盒 (2)

拍賣結果比較：比較一件十五至十六世紀相似形狀和紋飾的方觚，也有一個相似的日本銅墊和木盒，見香港佳士得Leisurely Delights 2019年5月 29日 lot 2952, 售價HKD 112,500。