A CHINESE COPPER ALLOY ‘ELEPHANT' TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER

A CHINESE COPPER ALLOY ‘ELEPHANT' TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER
EARLY QING DYNASTY

The cylindrical body rising to a flared rim, the sides flanked by a pair of handles with ruyi-shaped corners, all raised on three feet modelled as elephant heads, the base with a six-character Xuande mark, with a paper label for the Finer Collection 'CB 11', 1.2kg, 12cm.

Cf. Chinese Incense Burners, Collection of Steven Hung & Lindy Chern, no.86 for a related example. For further discussion of incense burners of this form, see Robert D Mowry, China's Renaissance in Bronze, pp.87-93.

清早期 銅太平有象三足爐
《大明宣德年製》

From the Finer Collection of later bronzes and hand warmers.