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A RARE INSCRIBED BLUE AND Compare a closely-related censer formerly in 1586
WHITE CENSER the E.T. Chow Collection, sold in our Hong Kong
WANLI MARK, DATED BINGXU rooms, 19th May 1981, lot 422, with a di erent
YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1586 inscription at the shoulder, indicating that it
was commissioned for o erings to Wenchang
the trilobed bracketed body raised on three (Wenchang Dijun zuoqian), and inscribed with
splayed feet, rising to a cylindrical neck and a an apocryphal Yongle cyclical date at the rim.
galleried rim, the shoulders set with two curved A smaller similarly painted example, with a six-
strap handles, each lobe of the body painted with character Wanli reign mark at the rim, was sold in
a scholar seated below plantain trees, all below our Hong Kong rooms, 29th November 1977, lot
borders of stylized lappets, chrysanthemum 42. Compare also an unmarked censer of similar
vignettes reserved on a wanzi diaper ground, form, painted with mythical beasts, in the Percival
and classic scroll, the shoulder with a twelve- David Foundation, now in the British Museum,
character inscription reading Da Ming Wanli illustrated in Margaret Medley, Illustrated
bingxu nian Endetang jingzhu (Respectfully Catalogue of Underglaze Blue and Copper Red
commissioned by the Endetang in the bingxu year Decorated Porcelains, London, 1976, no. A625.
of Wanli), the rim with a rectangular cartouche
enclosing a six-character inscription reading $ 5,000-7,000
Guanyin dashi zuoqian (for o ering before
Guanyin)
Width across handles 8⅛ in., 20.6 cm
IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 85
