154 - A RARE BRONZE BUFFALO-FORM VESSEL, DONG SON CULTURE

A RARE BRONZE BUFFALO-FORM VESSEL, DONG SON CULTURE Northern Vietnam, 2nd century BC-AD 2nd century. Skillfully cast, the bovid depicted at rest, the hind legs tucked beneath the voluminous body and the forelegs outstretched, the short tail swept to one side. The head is slightly lowered, with bulging eyes and a pointed muzzle, surmounted by large antlers and pricked ears. The body is finely adorned with numerous spiral motifs characteristic of the Dong Son culture. Provenance: From the private collection of Darwin Freeman, collected between 1968 and 1971, and thence by descent within the same family. Born 1946 in Idaho, United States, 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 US 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: Minor old repairs and fills as generally expected from ancient Dong Son excavations. Some losses, fissures, signs of weathering and erosion, and casting flaws. Overall, still in very good condition commensurate with age. Fine malachite-green patina with brown encrustations overall. Weight: 997.3 g Dimensions: Length 21.1 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 Van Lang and Au 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, Dong Son culture, dated to the 2nd century BC-AD 2nd century, 16 cm long, in the Asian Civilizations Museum, Singapore, accession number 2007-56439. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Zacke Vienna, 13 December 2023, lot 299 Price: EUR 3,900 or approx. EUR 4,200 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A rare bronze horse-form vessel, Dong Son culture Expert remark: Compare the closely related animal form, decorative style, and manner of casting. Note the smaller size (13.2 cm).