See a similar style bowl sold in Christie's Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art London, 7 November 2017 This form is known as a 'Yi' and is a pouring vessel which has its origins in bronze vessels of the Zhou dynasty when 'Yi' were usually made with a handle opposite a wider mouth, and standing on slim legs. These Zhou dynasty bronze yi are believed to be have been used for pouring water to wash the hands before performing rituals. By the Western Han dynasty, some yi vessels were manufactured in silver, occasionally with gold decoration, and were made without handle or legs. Such a Han dynasty yi vessel was excavated in 1957 at Baoji in Shaanxi province (illustrated in Charm and Brilliance – An Appraisal of the National Treasures in the Shaanxi History Museum – The Gold and Silver Wares, Xi’an, 2006, p. 142, no. 74). The shape evolved on metal wares of the Tang dynasty to a vessel which stood on a flared foot and had a more bowl-shaped body, which could be circular or petal-lobed – like the current example. These vessels are, however extremely rare either in silver or in copper, and the fact that the few extant examples are usually decorated with gold confirms their status as precious items. aged wears,
