A SMALL BRONZE CENSER WITH A ZITAN COVER, QING DYNASTY
China, 1644-1912. The compressed body supported on a short spreading foot and rising to an everted rim, the sides cast with two well detailed lion-mask handles. The domed zitan cover is finely carved and pierced with ruyi designs, surmounted by a small jade finial modeled as a kneeling figure, both dating from the same period.


Provenance
: English trade.

Condition
: Very good condition with some old wear and casting irregularities, small nicks, light scratches. The bronze with a rich copper-brown patina. The wooden cover with minuscule natural age cracks.

Weight: 945 g
Dimensions: Diameter 10.6 cm, Height 15 cm (total)

The recessed base with an apocryphal six-character reign mark da Ming Xuande nianzhi.


Literature comparison:

Compare a related bronze censer in the National Museum of History, Taipei, included in the exhibition Guan cang ya diao ji Ming Qing tong lu te zhan: Rekishi Hakubutsukan korekushon zōge chōkoku oyobi Min Shin dōro shōrai tokuten, Kumamote City Museum, Kumamote, 1997, cat. no. 245.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s London, 9 November 2011, lot 663
Price: GBP 5,000 or approx.
EUR 9,300
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Chinese bronze censer, 17th/18th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related lion mask handles. Note the larger size (28.5 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Amsterdam, 13 December 2012, lot 539
Price: EUR 9,375 or approx.
EUR 12,500
adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Chinese bronze censer, 19th century, with Zhengde six-character mark to the base
Expert remark: Compare the closely related lion mask handles. Note the larger size (22.7 cm).

This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.




清代紫檀蓋銅香爐


中國，1644-1912年。鑄造精美，口外撇，束頸，鼓腹下垂，高圈足。頸部一對獅面輔首。圓頂紫檀蓋雕工精細，鏤空如意紋，玉人蓋鈕。兩者都是同一時期的。


來源：
英國古玩交易。

品相：
狀況非常好，有一些磨損和鑄造不規則、小刻痕、輕微劃痕，濃郁的銅棕色光澤。木蓋上有微小的自然老化裂紋。

重量：945 克
尺寸：直徑10.6 厘米，總高15 厘米。

底座内六字寄托款“大明宣德年製”。


文獻比較：

比較一件相近的銅爐，收藏於臺北歷史博物館，展覽於《館藏牙雕暨明清銅爐特展圖錄》，熊本市博物館，熊本市，1997年，圖錄編號245。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2011年11月9日， lot 663
價格：GBP 5,000（相當於今日
EUR 9,300
）
描述：十七至十八世紀銅爐
專家評論：比較非常相近的獅輔面耳。請注意尺寸較大 (28.5厘米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：阿姆斯特丹佳士得，2012年12月13日，lot 539
價格：EUR 9,375（相當於今日
EUR 12,500
）
描述：正德款十九世紀銅爐
專家評論：比較非常相近的獅輔面耳。請注意尺寸較大 (22.7厘米)。