Page 89 - Bonhams, The H Collection, Classical Chinese Furniture, May 13, 2021 London

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A LARGE GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE The form of the present incense burner is 口沿微侈，收頸，鼓腹，底近平，下承三乳
TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER, DING likely inspired by one of the most classic 足。口沿上起一對雙沖耳，稍稍外傾，耳孔
Xuande six-character mark, 17th/18th century bronze shapes produced during the Xuande 半圓。爐底有減地陽文「大明宣德年製」六
The incense burner of compressed bombé period (1426-1437). These shapes in turn 字楷書款。
form, cast with two upright handles, were drawn from the range of objects
decorated on the exterior with scattered and depicted in the ‘Illustrations of Antiquities in 宣德三年，明宣宗敕令工部及禮部等官員利
irregular gold splashes, the base with an the Xuanhe Hall’, Xuanhe Xuanhe bogutu, and 用暹羅貢銅鑄造鼎彝之事；這批宣德爐形制
apocryphal Xuande six-character mark. other antiquarian texts; while some others 參考《宣和博古圖錄》等史籍，以及宋代名
26cm (10 2/8in) diam. were modelled on fine specimens of ceramics 窯瓷器之款式，開後世銅爐先河。本器應為
of the Northern Song period (960-1127). 參照宣德爐最為經典的器型之一仿製而成。
£20,000 - 30,000
CNY180,000 - 270,000 Vessels modelled after archaic shapes, such 形如本例的沖天耳爐，端莊中正，常見於內
as the present example, were designated 壇郊社宗廟祭祀之用，亦用於賞賜皇親國戚
for use in the sacrificial altars located outside 和功臣顯貴。而沿襲宋人情趣、將焚香尊為
十七/十八世紀 銅灑金沖天耳爐 of the capital, at Imperial ancestral temples 「文人四事」之一的歷代文人雅士，則將為
「大明宣德年製」楷書款 and within court palaces; however, they were 祭拜之用的香爐帶入書齋雅集，於氤氳之境
also presented to princely households and 得閒逸之情。
Provenance: meritorious officials. Incense burners were also
Christie’s Paris, 9 June 2015, lot 220 used by the literati to decorate the tables and 參考一例明宣德沖耳爐，見P.Hu著，《Later
An important European private collection shelves in their studio and burn fragrant incense Chinese Bronzes. The Saint Louis Art Museum
for creating a contemplative atmosphere. and Robert E. Kresko Collection》，聖路
來源： 易，2008年，頁137，編號38。另見一例十八
巴黎佳士得，2015年6月9日，拍品編號220 For a Xuande mark and period tripod incense 世紀銅灑金沖天耳爐，形似本例，售於香港
歐洲重要私人收藏 burner see P.Hu, Later Chinese Bronzes. The 蘇富比，2019年10月8日，拍品編號3658。
Saint Louis Art Museum and Robert E. Kresko
Collection, Saint Louis, 2008, p.137, no.38.
A gold-splashed incense burner, 18th century,
of similar shape to the present example but
slightly smaller in size, was sold at Sotheby’s
Hong Kong, 8 October 2019, lot 3658.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue. THE H COLLECTION | 87