A LARGE BRONZE ‘QILIN’ CENSER, YUAN TO MING DYNASTY
China, 1279-1644. Heavily cast and finely detailed with its head turned back sharply in a defensive pose, the mouth open in a warning roar exposing sharp fangs and tongue, the face further with bulging eyes, long whiskers, and a single horn set between funnel ears, the haunches with flames, the bushy striated tail cast separately. The upper back with an oval aperture for incense burning. (2)


Provenance
: From a private estate in the northwest of France. According to the last owner, the bronze was in the same family for several generations. French trade, acquired from the above, by repute.

Condition
: Good condition with some old wear and expected casting irregularities. Traces of use, light scratches, minor losses, small dents, few tiny structural cracks. The bronze with a rich, naturally grown, dark green patina, and patches of malachite hue.

Weight: 12.9 kg
Dimensions: Length 49.5 cm, Width 41.5 cm


The present qilin is remarkable for its large size and lifelike posture.
The qilin is one of the animals mentioned in the Zhou dynasty Book of Rites, together with the dragon, phoenix, and tortoise. It is a creature of good omen and a symbol of longevity, felicity, illustrious offspring, and wise administration.


Literature comparison:

Compare with a related 17th-century bronze qilin censer with similar striated casting of the tail and scales on the chest, included by Robert D. Mowry in the Catalogue of the Exhibition, China's Renaissance in Bronze, Phoenix Art Museum, 25 September-30 January 1994, pp. 222-223, no. 58.


Auction comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 22 March 1999, lot 77
Price: USD 74,000 or approx.
EUR 125,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Compare the closely related modeling, with similar lifelike posture, and manner of casting. Note the much larger size (99 cm) and that this figure does not appear to be a censer.




元至明大型麒麟式香薰

中國，1279-1644 年。香薰厚重，細節精緻，頭向後轉，呈防禦姿勢；嘴巴張開，似乎發出咆哮，並露出鋒利的獠牙和舌頭；大眼圓睜，長長的鬍鬚；漏斗形耳朵之間有一個獨角，臀部帶著火焰，濃密的尾巴分叉。背面上側有一橢圓形孔，供焚香之用。(2)


來源：
根據最後一位主人的說法，這件銅爐來自法國西北部的一處私人莊園，同一家族幾代人傳承； 法國古玩交易，從上述知名收藏購得。

品相：
狀況良好，有一些磨損、製造不規則、使用痕跡、輕微劃痕、損失、小凹痕、少量微小結構裂縫，具有豐富的自然包漿。

重量：12.9 公斤
尺寸：長 49.5 厘米，寬 41.5 厘米


文獻比較:

比較一件相近的十七世紀麒麟青銅火爐，尾部鑄有類似條紋，胸前有鱗片，見Robert D. Mowry，展覽於《China's Renaissance in Bronze》，鳳凰城藝術博物館，1994年1月30-9月25日，頁222-223，編號58。


拍賣比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，1999年3月22日，lot 77
價錢：USD 74,000（相當今日
EUR 125,000
）
描述：比較非常相近的模型、鑄造風格。請注意尺寸較大 (99 厘米) ，以及此銅像不是一個香爐。