LARGE LONGQUAN CELADON 'TRIGRAMS' TRIPOD CENSER MING DYNASTY, 15TH CENTURY 明 龍泉青釉八卦紋劃花大香爐 sturdily potted, of tapering cylindrical shape raised on three cabriole legs, the exterior moulded with the eight trigrams and freely carved with scrolling foliage between raised bands, the base pierced, covered in a celadon glaze of greyish-green tone (25.3cm wide) Qty: (1) Provenance: Sir Alan Campbell, GCMG, thence by descent to his daughters. The diplomat Alan Campbell (later Sir Alan Campbell, 1919-2007) was the youngest son of Hugh Campbell, (1873-1943) silk merchant and Director of Ilbert & Co, Shanghai. In 1905 Hugh Campbell married Ethel Warren (1881-1951) daughter of HM Consul-General in Shanghai, Sir Pelham Warren (1845-1923). Alan Campbell, who inherited an interest in Chinese porcelain from his parents, probably acquired this censer in Beijing in 1956-57 during his time as Head of Chancery at the British Legation. His neighbour and colleague in the Legation was John Addis (later Sir John Addis KCMG, 1914-83, British Ambassador to China 1972-4), a collector and authority on Ming porcelain, who made important donations of ceramics and textiles to the British Museum and the V & A Museum. Addis may have advised Campbell about purchases from the Beijing merchants whom they both used. Note: A closely comparable large incense burner with eight trigrams, dated to early Ming dynasty, 14th-15th century, is in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, museum no. Gu Ci 故瓷4098; another example of similar sign and size, dated to Ming dynasty, 15th century, was sold at Christie's London, 7 June 2004, lot 1.