Page 16 - Elegantly Made, Art For The Literati, 2020, J.J. Lally, New York

1. A BR ONZE ‘GOLDEN MIS T’ IN CENSE BURNER AND S TAND
Qing Dynasty, 18th Century

heavily cast with compressed rounded sides resting on three short tapered feet, the wide mouth
with slightly flared lip surmounted by a pair of upright arch handles, with a recessed rectangular
cartouche cast with a six-character Xuande reign mark in kaishu on the underside, the matching
original bronze stand in the form of a stylized mallow flower with three half-round sockets to
receive the feet of the censer, the polished surface of the censer and stand with a rich reddish-
brown patina suffused with very fine gilt speckling.

Width 7¼ inches (18.5 cm)
Overall height 5 ⁄16 inches (15 cm)
15
Weight of censer 1976g / base 1279g
Provenance Hong Kong Trade, October 1981
Shuisongshi Shanfang Collection
The Franz Collection, Hong Kong, no. 1274
The very fine gilt speckling throughout the reddish-brown patina on this censer is traditionally referred to as ‘golden rain’
or ‘golden mist.’
Compare the Xuande marked gold-splashed incense burner and stand of very similar form illustrated by Hu, Later Chinese
Bronzes: The Saint Louis Art Museum and Robert E. Kresko Collections, Saint Louis, 2008, pp. 137-141, no. 28, and on the dust
cover.
Compare also the Xuande marked gold-splashed incense burner and stand of this form illustrated by Tsang and Moss, Arts
from the Scholar’s Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 150-151, no. 123, where
the authors provide a lengthy discussion of the history of this type of bronze incense burner.

清十八世紀 灑金銅沖耳乳足連座爐 寬 18.5 厘米 通高 15 厘米
「大明宣德年製」款
爐重 1976g / 座重 1279g

來源 香港商行，1981年十月
水松石山房藏
香港 The Franz Collection，典藏編號 1274