China, 1100-771 BC. The bell is cast to either side with three rows of neatly cast protruding spiral bosses, divided by rope-twist lines.

Provenance: From an important old French private collection assembled since the end of the 19^th century. The family used to own one of the most expensive pieces of Asian art ever sold in France. According to the previous owner, “the present lot was hidden in a chest” and he discovered it there when he went to the place for the first time, many years ago.
Condition: Original condition, commensurate with age. Wear, small dents, minor losses, minuscule nicks, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations. The base of the handle with ancient soldering marks, probably inherent to manufacture, or from only a little time thereafter. No hidden restoration whatsoever. Spectacular naturally grown patina with various tones of green, including deep malachite.

Weight: 1,595 g
Dimensions: Height 33.8 cm

Expert’s note (added 20.2.2023): The three throws of spikes on either side of the present bell have tips of varying shape, indicative of probable filing post manufacture, and neither the result of casting nor subsequent wear or weathering. Instead, there is a theory that suggests that these spikes were used for tuning the bells (see image section, for an enlargement showing this). Examples like the present lot were often found in the tombs of nobility, such as the set discovered in a grave chamber of the Marquis Yi of Zeng (see image section).

Bells of this type were made in graduated sizes to form a set or instrumental ‘chime’. Each bell was capable of emitting two different tones, dependent on the exact location struck. Robert Bagley explains, “sets of bells were both aurally and visually the most prominent instruments of musical ensembles” in ancient China, but were unknown outside of China, see Jenny So (ed.), Music in the Age of Confucius, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Washington DC, 2000, pp. 35-63.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related bell, 54.7 cm high, dated to the Warring States period, ca. 300-250 BC, in the collection of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, accession number S2012.9.2558.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 September 2013, lot 1477
Price: USD 47,500 or approx. EUR 55,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Small Bronze Bell, Yongzhong, Early/Middle Western Zhou Dynasty, 11th-9th Century BC
Expert remark: Note the much smaller size (25 cm)

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 20 March 2019, lot 663
Price: USD 325,000 or approx. EUR 343,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An Extremely Rare Set of Seven Archaic Bronze Ritual Bells (Zhong) Western Zhou Dynasty
Expert remark: Note this lot contains a complete set of 7 bells



西周甬鐘
中國，公元前1100-771 年。甬鐘成合瓦形結構，兩面左右各有三行三道枚。

來源：重要法國私人收藏，建立於十九世紀末。該家族曾經擁有法國有史以來售出的最昂貴的亞洲藝術品之一。據前任主人說，“現在的拍品藏在一個箱子裡”，這是他多年前第一次去那裡時發現的。
品相：原始狀態，有磨損、小凹痕、輕微缺損、微小刻痕、風化和侵蝕跡象、結殼。手柄底部帶有舊時焊接痕蹟，可能是製造時固有的。沒有任何隱藏的修復。自然包漿，帶有各種綠色調銅綉。

重量：1,595 克
尺寸：高33.8 厘米

文獻比較：
比較一件相近的戰國時期大約公元300至250年甬鐘，54.7 厘米高，收藏於 Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the National Museum of Asian Art，史密森學會，館藏編號S2012.9.2558。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2013年9月20日，lot 1477
價格：USD 47,500（相當於今日EUR 55,000）
描述：西周早/中期青銅甬鐘
專家評論：請注意尺寸小很多(25 厘米) 。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2019年3月20日，lot 663
價格：USD 325,000（相當於今日EUR 343,000）
描述：西周青銅饕餮紋鐘一組七件
專家評論：請注意此為一組七件。