What: Power and Prestige: Important Early Chinese Ritual Bronzes from a Distinguished European CollectionWhere: Christie’s; 20 Rockefeller CenterWhen: March 22; 10.00 amPublic Viewing: 14 Mar, 10am - 5pm; 15 Mar, 10am - 5pm; 16 Mar, 10am - 5pm; 17 Mar, 1pm - 5pm; 18 Mar, 10am - 5pm; 19 Mar, 10am - 5pm; 20 Mar, 10am - 2pmTop lots of the sale:- The Shao Fangding. A rare and important bronze rectangular ritual food vessel. Late Shang dynasty, Anyang, 11th century BC. The slightly tapering, deep rectangular body is raised on four columnar supports each cast in high relief at the top with a taotie mask. 8 1/8 in. (20.7 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 1,000,000 - USD 1,500,000- The Ran Fu Bin He. A rare bronze ritual tripod wine vessel and cover. Late shang-early western Zhou dynasty, 11th century BC. The bronze has a mottled grey and pale green patina. 13 in. (33 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 500,000 - USD 700,000- The Ge Zu Ji Gui. A large bronze ritual food vessel. Early western Zhou dynasty, 11th-10th century BC. The bronze has a silvery grey patina with malachite and cuprite encrustation. 15 in. (38 cm.) across the handles. Estimate: USD 500,000 - USD 700,000- The Ge Zuo Cong Yi Fangding. A rare bronze ritual rectangular food vessel. Early western Zhou dynasty, 11th-10th century BC. The bronze has a mottled yellowish-green patina. 8 ½ in. (21.5 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 500,000 - USD 700,000- The Tie Zhu Gu. A very rare and finely cast pair of bronze ritual wine vessels. Late shang dynasty, 12th-11th Century BC. The bronze has a mottled green and reddish patina. 12 ¼ in. (31 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 400,000 - USD 600,000- The Jia Fanghu. A rare bronze ritual wine vessel and cover. Early western Zhou dynasty, 11th-10th century BC. The bronze has a smooth milky-green patina. 10 ½ in. (26.6 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 350,000 - USD 500,000- The Lubo Yufu Li. An important bronze ritual tripod food vessel. Early spring and autumn period, 8th-7th century BC. The tri-lobed body is flat-cast with three pairs of dragons, each confronted on a notched flange above each hoof-form foot. A fifteen-character inscription is cast around the everted rim. The bronze has a smooth yellowish-green patina. 6 ¾ in. (16.2 cm.) diam. Estimate: USD 200,000 - USD 300,000- The Peng Zhou Zhi. A rare small bronze ritual wine vessel. Late shang dynasty, 12th-11th century BC. The S-profile body is cast in relief on a plain ground on either side with two registers of the disconnected parts of a taotie flanked by pairs of descending kui dragons on each side, separated by a narrow band of two pairs of confronted birds. A single clan sign is cast on the interior base. The bronze has an olive-green and pale green patina. 5 ½ (13.8 cm.) high. Estimate: USD 150,000 - USD 250,000For details, visit: https://www.christies.comClick on the slideshow for the highlights of the sale.http://www.blouinartinfo.com/Founder: Louise Blouin  Read more