Page 136 - September 20 2021 Chinese Works of Art Bonhams NYC

PROPERTY FROM THE ROBERT AND MEE-DIN MOORE
COLLECTION
230
A RARE ARABIC-INSCRIBED AND GILT BRONZE VESSEL AND For a set of bronze incense vessels dated to the Ming dynasty which
STAND carry the identical inscriptions to our censer, though cast in a differing
Danran Zhai three-character mark, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) calligraphic style, see Christie’s, Hong Kong, 31 May 2017, lot 3394.
The vessel of deep bowl form with out-curving rim cast in relief with
full-faced lotus heads on a dense scrolling foliage ground dividing The three Quranic Arabic inscriptions on our vessel may be translated
three roundels with Arabic inscriptions set between lappet bands at as ‘there is no God but Allah’, ‘Glory be to God’, and ‘all praise is due
the foot and further scrolling foliage at the rim, the interior plain, the to God’.
separately cast stand with three short feet above stylized archaistic
key-pattern and scrolling foliage. Arabic inscribed vessels in bronze or ceramic are often associated
5 9/16in (14.4cm) diameter; 5 ¾in (14.5cm) high with the Zhengde reign (1506-1521), when such inscriptions became
a popular decorative motif on Imperial production, possibly under the
$25,000 - 35,000 guidance of powerful Muslim eunuchs in the Imperial court. Many of
the inscriptions that appear on these vessels are taken from the the
明 鎏金飾伊斯蘭銘文爐 《淡然齋》款 Quran.

An almost identically-cast bronze censer and cover, without the gilding The meaning of the mark, Danran Zhai, is as yet unclear but probably
of our example, and bearing a Zhengde mark, was sold at Sotheby’s, represents a studio name rather than a maker. The same three-
Hong Kong, ‘Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection, 7 April 2014, character mark can also be found on another bronze dated to the
lot 212. Its stand was a Qianlong replacement. Ming dynasty, see Hanhai, 3 December 2016, lot 2166.

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