The present lot is a Qing-dynasty ceramic made in imitation of a bronze prototype that first appeared in the late Western Zhou dynasty as part of an extended repertoire of ritual vessels. Known as a fu, this type of vessel was used for storage of food. Compare with an inscribed bronze fu of the Zhou period, illustrated by J. Rawson, Western Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sacker Collections, vol. IIA, 1990, p. 107, fig. 15b; it is interesting to note the Qing ceramic version follows closely with the same undulating motif found decorating the vessel and lid of the early bronze original.

Qing ritual wares were strictly regulated and standardized under guidelines set out by the Qianlong emperor. It is known that regulations relating to the specification of ritual vessels were included in a series of manuscripts, first printed in 1766, known as the Huangchao Liqi Tushi, 'Illustrated regulations for ceremonial paraphernalia of the Qing dynasty'. A drawing of a fu vessel, which is considered to be the source from which the 1766 edition was printed, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, is illustrated by M. Medley, Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, 'The "Illustrated Regulations for Ceremonial Paraphernalia of the Ch'ing Dynasty" in the Victoria and Albert Museum', pl. 39b.

A nearly identical vessel, also dating to the Guangxu period, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 May 2006, lot 1304.