A RARE IMPERIAL GILT-BRONZE 'DRAGON' RITUAL BELL, BIAN ZHONG
QIANLONG CAST FIVE-CHARACTER MARK, CORRESPONDING TO 1743 AND OF THE PERIOD




RARE and IMPORTANT, The bell is finely cast, surmounted with a double-headed dragon handle, the beast is powerfully modeled with eyes bulging and nostrils flaring above long curling whiskers. The mouth of the dragon is agape, revealing its tongue flicked up between sharp fangs, with two long studded horns extending back over its head along a combed mane with finely incised details.
The bell-shaped body with octo-lobed flori-form rim, two headed PuLao dragons flanked on the flat top. The exterior adorned with eight Buddhist emblem hung over the knotted ribbon in shallow relief. The rim showing auspicious motifs medallion on each petals, bordered with repeated ruyi pattern on the shoulder. There is a rectangular panel to each side, one inscribed with the seven script -KaiShu- characters in relief, 'Made in the year of Qianlong reign'.
Qing Dynasty Period and of the period.

Provenance: Private collector of Atlanta, Georgia

Dimension: 12-3/8" H x 9" W

Excellent

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