Antique Chinese Vessel Steamer

[impact_thrift_shop]

Hello, I have a really nice piece I found while digging over the weekend. Does anyone here have any insight to what this could be? I searched around and haven't found it on eBay or Worthpoint.  I did see some online but no pricing on them. From what I read, this could be possibly from the 11th century.  Would be nice but I doubt it. Please view the photo and let me know your thoughts. Thanks in advance.

[impact_thrift_shop]

For some reason my photos rotate when I upload. Sorry about that. 

[mama*pbs!]

Resembles a Chinese ding (ritual bronze tripod vessel) with a taotie pattern. Your item is small (approximately 2.75"/6.5 cm) for a ding and on a base--may possibly be a souvenir piece or incense burner.

http://www.chinaknowledge.de/Art/Bronze/bronze.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ding_(vessel)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taotie

[sonomabarn67]

Digging. Through what, earth, grave site, boxes on the garage, an underwater excavation? What were the other items you encountered? To me it looks to have been painted with a chemical to look so uniform.

[maxine*j]

I agree with mama-pbs that this is a miniature ding, sold as a decoration / souvenir / incense burner. 

I agree with sonomabarn that the patina is applied, not natural.

As for your rotated photos, it's nohting you did.  It's a glitch in how the system sometimes handles images, especially large ones.  We're all used to it. 

[impact_thrift_shop]

lol. Yard sale. I bought some things and they threw it in.

[sonomabarn67]

So not from the 11th century as you thought. You really had us going there. Had we not asked you those pesky questions, it would have been a real 11th century treasure.