Interesting “pot”

[Calgarychef]

Hello everyone,

I bought this years ago from an old guy at a flea market he was just clearing out his house and had lots of stuff. What keeps me interested I I brought it to an antique dealer “Brian Leman” he had a shop and is a well known shister...only I didn’t know that when I went . He kind of down played it but said that he likes cast items and offered me to choose anything in his shop in exchange. His shop was full and I thought that was a generous offer...so I took it home!

It’s cast iron but has a green patina and traces of building. The photos are difficult but there are elephant motifs on it. That’s all I have...

Any ideas?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[Older The Better]

May be way off but looks Central American culture of some kind and old... the elephants wouldn’t fit but I don’t see any personally

 

[ToddsPoint]

Elephants are from Africa or India. I'd guess India before I'd guess Africa on that one. Neat bowl. It's worth more than anything in his shop, that's for sure. Gary

 

[Calgarychef]

It does look Indian to me too but I thought I would leave that part out and let’s folks form their opinion first.

Where could I have it looked at?

 

[HuntinDog]

Are you sure it's iron and not bronze?
Have you tested it with a magnet?

It looks Asian to me, but the elephant handles point towards India.
Both cultures worship elephants though.

 

[Calgarychef]

Are you sure it's iron and not bronze?
Have you tested it with a magnet?

It looks Asian to me, but the elephant handles point towards India.
Both cultures worship elephants though.

It sure looks like bronze but...it attracts a magnet.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Do the elephants have large ears or smaller ears that is how you can tell Asian elephants from African elephants figure that out and it narrows your search down to either country.

 

[unclemac]

look up shang dynasty bronze. EBAY is full of repros made to look old.

 

[Reanm8er]

Pretty cool find either way!

 

[DCMatt]

I'm guessing Chinese "incense pot". This one is mid-19th C and bronze but I saw others made of cast iron.

 

[Reanm8er]

It would be cool if you could make some tracings and show them.

Best wishes!

 

[A2coins]

Have an expert check it out for sure

 

[Tdog]

Do the elephants have large ears or smaller ears that is how you can tell Asian elephants from African elephants figure that out and it narrows your search down to either country.

African elephants have larger ears than Asian elephants.

 

[Calgarychef]

It has small ears, definately looks Indian. For once I’m stumped as to where to find an expert to look at it

 

[unclemac]

what you have is a Chinese (perhaps Shang) bronze vessel of some sort. Depending on size may be a brazier or some other bowl or burner. These items are faked BIG TIME and are for sale all over the internet. Send your photos to an auction house or a museum and get an opinion. Your pot is unlikely to be authentic but on the off chance that it is, it would be worth your time and effort to find out.

 

[Calgarychef]

what you have is a Chinese (perhaps Shang) bronze vessel of some sort. Depending on size may be a brazier or some other bowl or burner. These items are faked BIG TIME and are for sale all over the internet. Send your photos to an auction house or a museum and get an opinion. Your pot is unlikely to be authentic but on the off chance that it is, it would be worth your time and effort to find out.

THANKS, I have my doubts about it too but.... I’ve had it for almost 30 years and something keeps nagging at me about it.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I would consider taking some cleaner pics and contacting the ROM in Toronto (Royal Ontario Museum)

Royal Ontario Museum - Collections & Research

Gwen Adams - Technician (Asian Collections)
Art & Culture, Ancient Cultures, World Art & Culture
Phone: 416.586.5720
https://www.rom.on.ca/en

Bio:
I obtained my undergrad degree in Art History from York University, Toronto and a Masters in Art History from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. While at UBC I developed an interest in Asian Art History and Post-Modern Chinese Art. It was during this time that I became captivated with propaganda posters and China’s social political history, as well as the Gutai movement - a Japanese reactionary artistic post-war group founded in 1954 by the painter Jiro Yoshihara. As the ROM’s Technician - Asian Collections in the Department of World Cultures, I oversee East Asia, Japan, Korea and South Asian collections. I take care of one of the largest and most comprehensive collections outside China and one of the largest South Asian collections in Canada. Our South Asian collection geographically covers the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, The Maldives, and the territory of Tibet.

I think you have something very special there it deserves to be properly authenticated.
Dave

 

[Calgarychef]

That’s the info I need, thanks so much. I’ll report back wif I get more info.