A RARE CLOISONNE ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE ‘GRAPES’ TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER AND COVER LATE MING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY |

cast with a compressed globular body rising to a short waisted neck and galleried mouth-rim, all supported on three short legs issuing from gilt-bronze mythical beast masks and terminating with gilt-bronze claws, the sides flanked by a pair of handles, each with a floral bloom partially enclosed with multi-coloured leaves and suspending a loose ring, the turquoise-ground exterior of the body and legs brightly enamelled with clusters of green and aubergine grapes borne on stems further issuing colourful foliage, the gilt-bronze rim detailed with a key-fret band repeated at the rim of the domed cover, the cover similarly enamelled with grapes and surmounted by a pierced gilt-bronze medallion finial enclosing a coiling dragon amidst ruyi clouds

The brilliantly enamelled design on the current incense burner and cover is extremely rare. The only other recorded example at auction is an identical one sold in our London rooms, 16th November 1971, lot 50.  For another incense burner and cover in the Pierre Uldry collection, dating to the first half of the 17th century, with a similar design of grapes, see Helmut Brinker and Albert Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, London, 1989, pl. 144. See also 16th century pieces of this pattern illustrated by Sir Harry Garner, Chinese and Japanese Cloisonne Enamels, London, 1962, pl. 40a and c.