Description: Rare and early Chinese archaic bronze ritual wine vessel or Gu, wasted form with flaring rim, trumpet neck, straight sides and a slightly tapering foot. Lower section with three bands of archaic incised decoration together with cruciform apertures between the lower and middle bands. Incised animal figure to the underside of the base. 9 3/4" H. Possibly Shang Dynasty. Old Sotheby's tag (lot #6A) found inside. Provenance: Estate of Martha Lyman, Dayton, TN. (Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.caseantiques.com.)