A PARCEL-GILT BRONZE ‘DRAGONS’ INCENSE BURNER, GUI BY HU WENMING, MING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY

of archaistic gui form with a compressed globular body supported on a flared circular footrim, the body skilfully beaten-up from copper sheet, boldly chased in relief on each side with a pair of confronted four-clawed dragons reaching for a 'flaming pearl' all set against a punched ground, the upper band with a frieze of auspicious emblems and a scrolling band of foliated lingzhi stems around the footrim, the shoulders surmounted by a pair of mythical animal heads issuing handles, the base centred with a mark reading Hu Wenming zhi within a double-lined square

Acquired at Portobello Road Antiques Market, London, 1991.

The incense burner is in overall good condition. There is a small old repair to the inner rim. There are also minor nicks to the rim and foot as consistent with age. The catalogue illustration is a tinge redder than the actual colour of the bronze.
"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."

A closely related incense burner by Hu Wenming, from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection, was sold in these rooms, 8th April 2014, lot 240. It shares the same archaistic gui form, skilful use of chased and beaten registers of decoration and is flanked by similar taotie mask handles, but differs from the current example in that the central decoration is of bird-headed kui-type dragons, as opposed to the more conventional dragons found here. 

Compare also another incense burner illustrated by Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, 'Chinese Metalwork of the Hu Wenming Group', Handbook, International Asian Antiques Fair, Hong Kong, 1984, p. 46, fig. 9.  The difference in the designs of the dragons on all three incense burners suggests that these designs were beaten into the copper freehand, rather than around pre-formed moulds. If moulds had been used, there would seem little point in producing an almost identical incense burner with a slightly different design. These three incense burners therefore play an important role in our understanding of the techniques of the Hu Wenming workshop.