LATE MING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY

Details

A LARGE SILVER-INLAID GILT-BRONZE FANGDING-FORM ARCHAISTIC CENSER
LATE MING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY
The vessel is cast in shallow relief around the rectangular body with a wide band of taotie masks separated by flanges inlaid with key-fret below a narrow band of stylized long-tailed birds, all reserved on a diaper ground. The body is raised on tall fish-form legs and is surmounted by a pair of bail handles rising from the rim.
8 1/8 in. (20.6 cm.) across handles, hardwood cover with Yuan-Ming dyansty jade finial, hardwood stand

Provenance

Imperial Oriental Art, New York.
‌Private collection, New York.

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Rufus Chen (陳嘉安) Head of Sale, AVP, Specialist

asianartny@christies.com +1 212 636 2180

Lot Essay

A similarly decorated bronze fangding-form censer in the Musée Cernuschi is illustrated by M. Maucuer in Bronzes de la Chine impériale des Song aux Qing, Paris, 2013, p. 98, no. 51, where it is dated late 17^th-early 18^th century. Another related parcel-gilt example dated to the 17^th century, but of smaller size (17.8 cm. high) and lacking the silver inlay and with a Hu Wenming mark, was sold at Christie’s New York, 16-17 September 2010, lot 1017.

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