A BRONZE FIGURE OF A RODENT, DONG SON CULTURE

A BRONZE FIGURE OF A RODENT, DONG SON CULTURE Northern Vietnam, 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD. Well cast in a crouching stance, the short bushy tail swung to the top, ears pricked, and the face detailed with beady eyes and incised spirals for a snout. The body adorned with numerous spiral designs characteristic of the Dong Son culture. Covered in a rich, naturally grown patina with vibrant malachite encrustations. Provenance: From the private collection of Darwin Freeman, collected between 1968-1971, and thence by descent within the same family. Born 1946 in Idaho, USA, Darwin Freeman was a member of the armed forces and later became an avid collector. He met his wife in the mid-1960s, and the pair later relocated to her hometown of Innsbruck, Austria. In 1967, Freeman was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Germany and Thailand. While he was stationed at the Embassy in Bangkok, between 1969 and 1971, he actively began engaging in the exploration and collection of ancient bronzes and other works of art. Upon completing his duty, Freeman arranged for his collection to be shipped to Austria, where it remained in storage until this day. Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, signs of weathering and erosion, casting flaws, and minor losses. Weight: 823.9 g Dimensions: Length 14 cm Dong Son (named for Dong Son, a village in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam) was a Bronze Age culture in ancient Vietnam centered at the Red River Valley of northern Vietnam from 1000 BC until the first century AD. Vietnamese historians attribute it to the states of Văn Lang and Âu Lạc. Its influence spread to other parts of Southeast Asia, including Maritime Southeast Asia, throughout the first millennium BC. The culture long remained a mystery to western archaeologists, and it was known only through its bronze objects, many of which were taken from burial sites. Dong Son bronze objects were exhibited in Europe for a century before their original location was even determined, and several theories and speculations over the dating methodologies of the culture continue to this day. Literature comparison: Compare a related elephant-shaped vessel with similar spiral designs, 16 cm long, dated 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD, in the Asian Civilizations Museum, Singapore, accession number 2007-56439. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Galerie Zacke, Vienna, 13 December 2023, lot 299 Price: EUR 3,900 or approx. EUR 4,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A rare bronze horse-form vessel, Dong Son culture Expert remark: Compare the closely related spiral decorations and similar size (13.2 cm).