A pair of circular gilt-painted brown lacquer incense stands, (xiangji) Qing Dynasty, 18th Century

each with a circular top finely painted in gilt and red on a brown ground with interlinked archaistic scrolls with dragon and phoenix head terminals, above a pierced recessed waist, the bomb?apron with scrolled borders and beaded edges painted with large lotus flowers borne on an undulating foliate scroll continuing down the cabriole legs further painted with clouds, smoothly joined to the apron and terminating in scrolled foliate feet supported on balls, all resting on a waisted circular plinth further decorated with a flowerhead with radiating petals

Stands of this type in brown lacquer are quite rare.  Black lacquer and gilt examples are found in the Palace Museum and illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum,  Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, vol. 53, Beijing Palace Museum, 2002, pl. 168.  Also compare a parcel-gilt and polychrome lacquer stand of similar form, offered in these rooms 28th September 1989, lot 398.