A GILT-SPLASHED BRONZE GUI CENSER

Qing Dynasty, 18th Century

Diameter across the handles: 9.4cm

The body is of bombe form with a flaring mouthrim and stands on a high footring decorated with a scroll border. The censer is accented by a band of confronting phoenixes and looped handles issuing from two animal heads. Splashes of gilt cover the body and the base. A six-character ‘Da Ming Xuande Nian Zhi” apocryphical mark is moulded on its base. The shape of this incense burner is inspired by archaic bronze food vessels from the Western Zhou period.