Dear Brian, Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry and for your patience. Considering these images, this item is: A rare Chinese archaic bronze tripod ritual food vessel, Ding, early Western Zhou dynasty, 11th or 12th century B.C., cast in relief with taotie masks and leiwen, bas-relief cast four character pictographic mark to the interior, olive-brown patina with patches of malachite, azurite and cuprite encrustation. The Shang and Zhou eras traditionally comprise the Bronze Age of China, when bronze was used to make weapons, as well as ritual vessels, and played a significant role in the material culture of the time. Good condition. These type of objects are not rare at international auctions, varying prices.
