Vintage Chinese Bronze Brass Dragon Singing Spouting Dancing Water Bowl Basin

Description

VINTAGE CHINESE BRONZE DRAGON DANCING SINGING WATER BOWL BASIN
The featured item represents a Chinese bronze or brass bowl/basin that measures approximately 4" from the floor to the rim, 5 3/4" from the floor to the top of the handles, 15" across the top and 7 3/4"  at the bottom.
The bowl
is decorated
with a raised image of a dragon on the bottom of the inside, spraying streams of water up the sides of the bowl. The rim
is adorned
with a band of
keyfrets
and another one made of spouts. Most of the surface
is covered
in green verdigris with exception of the protruding handles.
The vessel is known as singing bowl, dancing water bowl, fish basin, spouting bowl, fountain bowl, resonance bowl and other names. Such bowls first appeared in the Han Dynasty and
are believed
to foster happiness, prolong life, and increase strength.
Vibrations made by rubbing the bowl’s handles causes the water surface to ripple around the rim. Soon, water drops shoot up, quickly becoming continuous streams like tiny fountain jets. The water droplets and jets grow and diminish with each rub of the handles. It
is believed
to generate the precise frequencies needed to produce standing waves and the spouts of water rise from these waves.
You can find
actual
demonstrations on how the bowl works on
youtube
and other web pages.
The item comes in overall good condition with normal vintage wear like some
scuffs
, marks and scratches as well as patina and oxidation.
SOLD "AS IS"