The body rising to an everted rim from tall splayed foot, finely cast around exterior with four large taotie masks reserved on leiwen ground, beneath a band of scrolled motif divided by two bovine masks, the body flanked by two loop handles in the form of birds with clawed legs and long tails, the foot decorated with band of similar scrolled motif, the interior and base with extensive malachite encrustation and patina, the interior with a five-character inscription. Late Shang dynasty period or later. Provenance: Property from a New York Private collection