Page 140 - Christie's Important Chinese Art, March 23 to 24 2023 New York

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
1134
AN ARABIC-INSCRIBED BRONZE INCENSE BOX AND COVER Islamic culture became increasingly popular in the Ming dynasty due to
17TH-18TH CENTURY the active trade between China and central and West Asia. The Zhengde
Emperor (1491-1521) was known to be fascinated with exotic foreigners.
The top of the cover is cast with an Arabic inscription, Alhamdulillah (praise be
During his reign, he invited many Muslims to serve as companions, eunuchs
to god). The base of the censer is cast with a six-character Zhengde mark.
and advisors at the imperial court. It was recorded in The Book of China
3q in. (8.9 cm.) diam., cloth box written by the Persian merchant and traveler Seid Ali Akbar Khatai that
Zhengde was a devout Muslim. Therefore, it is not surprising to find
$20,000-30,000 Zhengde-marked works with Arabic inscriptions. Incense boxes such as
the present lot were typically used in imperial households or in rituals in
mosques, and occasionally bestowed on court officials as a reward.
ૈ♥珍藏 A similar bronze circular box and cover bearing a different Arabic inscription,
was offered at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 October 2012, lot 3114. Another
十ˑ 十Ջˠ紀ǎǙ感ㅘ安拉ǚ阿拉Ώ文銅香盒
similar box with a Zhengde mark was sold at Sotheby’s London, 28 October
1988, lot 148. A quadrilobed box and cover bearing Arabic inscription of
Alhamdulillah was sold at Christie’s New York, 19 September 2006, lot 123.

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ANOTHER PROPERTY
1133
A WELL-CAST BRONZE CYLINDRICAL 'ARCHAISTIC' CENSER
17TH-18TH CENTURY
The base is cast with an apocryphal Xuande seal mark.
6º in. (16 cm.) across handles

$7,000-10,000
PROVENANCE:
Private collection, America, acquired in the 1950s.

十ˑ 十Ջˠ紀ǎ仿۵銅爐
Ϝ源
美४私́珍藏
Ն藏於 年代

(detail)

(mark)