A rare Imperial gilt-bronze archaistic ritual bell, bianzhong
Qianlong mark and of the period, dated to the 10th year, corresponding to AD 1745
Heavily cast with rounded sides and suspended from a gilt handle formed by geometric scrolls, the body decorated in relief with five alternating bands of stylised trigrams and spiralling bosses, interrupted on each side by a rectangular panel, each enclosing an inscribed tablet bordered by ruyi-head scrolls and above a small waisted lotus base, one tablet inscribed with a seven-character mark, 大清乾隆拾年製, 'made in the 10th year of the Qianlong emperor's reign', the other with a two-character mark, 夾鐘 jia zhong , which relates to a classical pitch, the lower body above the base with pairs of archaistic motifs flanking two large plain circular cartouches, later wood stand.
29.6cm (11 5/8in) high (2).