A finely painted and very rare Beijing enamel tripod censer Yuzhi Mark and period of Kangxi

the compressed bombé sides generously rising from three short circular feet and surmounted by a gilded lipped rim, the sides delicately painted in bright enamels with three large peach sprays, each peach resting on petals and flanked by two blooms borne on an undulating stem issuing gently furled leaves, the blooms each with a further peach to the centre, all below a confronting bat, and above an undulating stem with interlinking ruyi scrolls, all against a rich yellow ground, the interior enamelled turquoise, the base with a central circle reserved in white and inscribed with the four-character mark in blue enamel

There are three patches on the shoulder extending down to the base where the enamel has been restored, measuring approximately 3.5 x 1.5 cm, 3 x 2 cm, and 3 x 2 cm. The chips on the interior has been consolidated beneath a thin layer of turquoise paint. The overall condition is still quite good despite the restoration, which has been finely executed and very subtle.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present censer is a rare example of an early painted enamel ware with a metal body. According to letters written by the Jesuit artist, Father de Maille, enamelling on metal was possibly first introduced to the Enamel Workshop within the Zaobanchu (Imperial Palace Workshop) around 1714-1716, by which time enamelling on porcelain had already been established. A technique originally introduced by Jesuit missionary artists invited by the Kangxi emperor to work in the Zaobanchu, it was quickly absorbed into the Chinese decorative repertoire. While enamel wares of the Kangxi period are characterized by relatively heavy metal body, thickly painted enamels and the occurence of technical flaws, the present censer is most refined in its painting and flawless in its manufacturing. From the delicately painted design and outstandingly fine workmanship, one would assume that this piece was made when technical problems were gradually coming under control and painting became more refined.

The decoration of peaches on Kangxi enamelled wares are also unusual. The painting of peaches required the use of a pinkish-red tone which first appeared when the famille-rose palette was introduced to the enamellers' repertoire. A pair of Kangxi bottles painted with fruits including peaches, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, is illustrated in Enamel Ware in the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasties, Taipei, 1999, pl. 87.   

Although no other Kangxi censer of this design appears to be recorded, in its form it is closely related to the exquisite Kangxi censer illustrated in Sotheby's Hong Kong Twenty Years, 1973-1993, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 416, and sold in these rooms, 21st May 1980, lot 267. See also a slightly larger censer of related shape but with handles, also with a four-character Kangxi yuzhi mark on its base, included in Hugh Moss, By Imperial Command, Hong Kong, 1976, pl. 14; and another two-handled tripod censer, from the Alfred Morrison and Fonhtill Heirlooms collections, sold at Christie's London, 9th November 2004, lot 21.