A GOLD-SPLASHED BRONZE TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER LATE MING – EARLY QING DYNASTY

heavily cast with a compressed globular body supported on three short cabriole legs, the rim surmounted by a pair of upright loop handles, the exterior freely decorated with gold splashes, the base with an apocryphal three-character Xuande mark within a recessed cartouche

Spink & Son Ltd., London.

The Minor Arts of China IV, Spink & Son Ltd., London, 1989, cat. no. 73.

Overall good condition, with just a small chip to the rim,and other general surface scratches and wear.
"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 surface of this exuberant incense burner is covered in irregular spots and flakes of gold, seemingly emerging from the alloy at different angles, in the random fashion that minerals such as gold are discovered in their natural state. This gives a most pleasing overall appearance, the gold splash not distracting from the overall shape of the vessel but subtly reinforcing its rare class.

The origin of gold-splashed bronze vessels remains a source of speculation. Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss in Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, p. 184, mention that the popularity of this surface decoration was fostered by Xuande bronzes of the Ming dynasty where the appearance of the gold splashes was caused by the uneven surface patination of the vessel. Some scholars have linked gold-splashed decoration on bronzes to qingbai and Longquan wares of the Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties. 

Compare a bronze tripod incense burner similarly decorated with irregular flakes of gold, from the J. de Lopes bequest and now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated in Rose Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, London, 1990, pl. 15 (right). See also a gold-splashed tripod incense burner from the collection of Ulrich Hausmann, sold in these rooms, 8th October 2014, lot 3407.