Extraordinary bronze censer with gold splashes, Ming dynasty

Cast bronze censer, deep brown in colour, with irregular splashes of gold leaf. It has a compressed body resting on three flared feet and is crowned by a narrow neck that raises the lip towards a smooth mouth. At the base, there is a raised seal with six characters, ‘大明宣德年制’, arched in a quadrangular border. When struck, it produces a sound similar to that of ancient Tibetan bells. Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

Height: 8 cm; Diameter: 19.5 cm

Weight: 3520 g

Provenance:

· Current Spanish collection, acquired in Hong Kong in the 1980s-1990s.

Catalogue note: 

The Xuande period (1426-1435) was a symbol of metallurgical excellence, with unsurpassed technical quality; its use was a sign of high social and spiritual status.

Reference: 

· RARE BRÛLE-PARFUM EN BRONZE TACHETÉ D'OR, LOT 162, 26 OCTOBER 2023, BONHAMS