A CHINESE COPPER HAND WARMER AND COVER

A CHINESE COPPER HAND WARMER AND COVER
PAN XIANGFENG MARK, QING DYNASTY

Raised on a straight foot, the body decorated with eight mythical beast heads within a leiwen ground and set with two bamboo-shaped handles, the cover similarly decorated with four further mythical beast heads within a leiwen ground, incised with a four-character mark reading Pan Xiangfeng zhi within a double square, with a paper label for the Finer Collection 'HW 5', 907g, 18cm. (2)

Cf. Chinese Incense Burners: The Collection of Steven Hung & Lindy Chern, no.213 for a related example with a Pan Xiangfeng seal mark to the base. See also Christie's London, 14th May 2010, lot 708 for another similar example with a comparable leiwen and mythical beasts design.

Although little is known about the coppersmith Pan Xiangfeng, active during the late Ming and early Qing period, his hand warmers are recognisable through their shape and proportions, especially the rare and distinctive vertical foot.

清 潘祥豐款銅鏤空帶環手爐
《潘祥豐製》

From the Finer Collection of later bronzes and hand warmers.