A RARE GOLD-SPLASHED ARCHAISTIC BRONZE INCENSE BURNER, FANGDING QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

of rectangular form raised on four cylindrical feet, decorated on each side with a taotie mask against a leiwen ground, below a flanged rim and small arched handles, the bronze patinated to a rich light-brown colour and attractively mottled with random splashes of gold, the underside cast with a twelve-characters archaistic mark, wood stand and reticulated cover, the latter set with an agate finial

This incense burner embodies the trend from the Song dynasty (960-1279) onwards of modelling bronze vessels in imitation of antiques. Wares belonging to this group were either made to evoke the past in their decoration or faithfully rendered after ancient forms, such as this piece, which is modelled after archaic bronze vessels known as fang ding, produced during the Shang and Western Zhou dynasties. A closely related fang ding , possibly the pair to this piece with similar wood cover and agate finial was sold in our New York rooms, 23rd September 1997, lot 140.

Vessels of this form are more commonly found with parcel-gilt decoration, such as one with prominent flanges and dragon-shaped legs, from the collection of Giuseppe Salvago Raggi, sold in our London rooms, 16th May 2012, lot 153; and another from the collection of Gerard Hawthorn, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 31st May 2010, lot 1956.