The Finer Collection of Bronzes and Hand Warmers - 11th November 2025

Lot 32

A RARE ARCHAISTIC BRONZE BELL

Estimate £4,000 - £6,000 | Hammer £3810

Inc. Buyers Premium

Description

A RARE ARCHAISTIC BRONZE BELL
HU WENMING MARK, 17TH CENTURY

Decorated to each side with a chrysanthemum flowerhead flanked by two winged horses, below bands of lappets, key-fret and raised bosses, the dome with a loop handle with beast-mask terminals, with a four-character mark reading Hu Wenming zhi, with a paper label for the Finer Collection 'CB 74', 980g, 20.5cm.

Cf. The British Museum, accession no. 1989,0608.1 and Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, Chinese Metalwork of the Hu Wenming Group, Handbook, International Asian Antiques Fair, Hong Kong, 1984, p.61, no.39 for two related bells.

十七世紀 銅仿古飛馬紋鐘
《胡文明製》



From the Finer Collection of later bronzes and hand warmers.