A LARGE ARCHAISTIC PARCEL-GILT BRONZE CENSER AND COVER MING DYNASTY, DATED 1553

the rectangular body cast to each side with a large taotie mask reserved on a leiwen ground and divided by vertical notched flanges at each corner, the short neck similarly cast to each side with a taotie band and flanked by a large and tall pair of loop handles, all supported on four tall cabriole legs, each issuing from a monster mask, the stepped cover surmounted by a lion dog playing with a ribbon-tied ball, the metal patinated to a dark chocolate tone with areas of gilt decoration, the side cast with a 17-character inscription reading 'Ming Jiajing guichou lingbao Lu shi ming gongzao yu Huai'an fu zhi'

Collection of Ambassador Max Mueller, purchased in Shanghai circa 1905 (by repute).
Museum fur Ostasiatische Kunst, on loan, Berlin 2001-2006.

Matteo Ricci, Europa am Hofe der Ming, Museum fur Ostasiatische Kunst, Berlin, 2005, cat.no. 136.

The incription may be translated as 'In the guichou year (equivalent to 1553 AD) of the Jiajing reign of the Ming this divine treasure was made by command of the Lu family in Huai'an prefecture'.