CHINESE ARCHAISTIC CAST METAL COVERED FANGHU VASE

CHINESE ARCHAIC-REVIVAL CAST WHITE METAL ALLOY COVERED SQUARE WINE VESSEL, 20TH C., WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY STYLE CAST FROM A NON-MAGNETIC METAL BASE ALLOY (SILUMIN / ZINC-ALUMINUM DIE-CAST COMPOSITE) FINISHED WITH APPLIED SURFACE CHEMICAL BLACKENING, ARTIFICIAL VERDIGRIS, AND CUPRITE OXIDATION. RECTILINEAR PEAR-SHAPED FORM SWELLING TO A BULBOUS LOWER BODY OVER A FLARED STEPPED SQUARE FOOT WITH ARCHED CUTOUTS AND RUNNING WAVE BANDS; WAIST FLANKED BY TWO CURVED DRAGON-FORM LOOP HANDLES; THE NECK AND BODY CAST WITH RAISED GEOMETRIC REGISTERS, MEANDERS (LEIWEN), EXPANSIVE DISSOLVED TAOTIE MASKS, AND A BAND OF INCISED BRONZE SCRIPT (JINWEN) CHARACTERS ALONG THE LOWER FLANK. COVER: STEPPED PYRAMIDAL LID TOPPED BY TWO CROUCHING ZOOMORPHIC FINIALS, THE FLAT SQUARE TOP CRISPLY CAST WITH A SIXTEEN-CHARACTER BRONZE SCRIPT (JINWEN) INSCRIPTION ARRANGED IN FOUR COLUMNS OF FOUR CHARACTERS. MEASURES 14 IN HIGH CONDITION: STRUCTURALLY RIGID AND COMPLETE WITH MATCHING COVER; BASE LACKS A SOLID BOTTOM FLOOR (OPEN-THROUGH HOLLOW INTERIOR CAVITY); HEAVY APPLIED PATINATION AND SURFACE VERDIGRIS THROUGHOUT; METAL FRACTURE AND LOSS ALONG THE INNER APERTURE RIM COLLAR (CONCEALED WHEN COVER IS SEATED); CORNER FRACTURE CHIP TO THE FOOT RIM; COVER LACKS TWO CORNER ANIMAL FINIAL MOUNTS; A FRESH FRACTURE TO ONE HANDLE ELEMENT EXPOSES A LIGHT-COLOURED, GRANULAR WHITE ALLOY CORE.