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A WHITE AND GREY JADE ISLAMIC-MARKET CENSER
16TH-17TH CENTURY
The cylindrical censer is carved standing on bracket feet. The exterior is carved in low relief with three
ruyi-shaped panels each enclosing Arabic characters reading: ‘There is no god but the [one] God’ and
‘Mohammad is the messenger of God’. The stone is of a translucent white tone gradually transitioning to
grey at the rim.
4º in. (11 cm.) diam.
£12,000-18,000 $16,000-23,000
€14,000-21,000
It is rare to fnd a jade example of this type, since Islamic-market vessels are more commonly seen in
porcelain, bronze, and cloisonné enamel.
A 16th century Islamic-market wucai porcelain cylindrical censer is found in the collection of the Percival
David Foundation and is illustrated by M. Medley, Illustrated Catalogue of Ming Polychrome Wares,
London, 1978, pl. 10, no. 108. See also a blue and white example with Kangxi mark, lot 236.
Concurrently, censers with Arabic-inscribed medallions were being made in bronze. See Jin Yu Qing Jan:
Yang Ping Zhen Xian Sheng Zhen Ming Qing Tong Li, an exhibition of Mr. Yang Ping Zhen’s Collection
of Ming and Qing Bronze Censers, National Museum of History, Taipei, 1996, p. 195, no. 118, for a
cylindrical censer with Arabic medallions and a Zhengde mark.
明十六/十七世紀 灰白玉伊斯蘭文如意足爐
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