A CHINESE COPPER HAND WARMER AND COVER

A CHINESE COPPER HAND WARMER AND COVER
ZHANG MINGQI MARK, EARLY QING DYNASTY

The rectangular body with rounded corners and a swing handle, the pierced cover with a geometric and floral design, with a four-character mark reading Zhang Mingqi zhi, with a paper label for the Finer Collection 'HW 43', 629g, 10cm. (2)

Cf. Chinese Incense Burners, Collection of Steven Hung & Lindy Chern, no 219 for a related but much larger hand warmer with a similar four-character Zhang Mingqi mark and cover design.

清早期 張鳴岐款銅鏤空帶環手爐
《張鳴岐製》

A native of Jiaxing in Zhejiang province, Zhang Mingqi was regarded as one of the four greatest craftsmen of the late Ming dynasty. Zhang was the most well-known producer of handwarmers of the late Ming dynasty. Because of his mastery, his nickname was Zhanglu, or 'Handwarmer Zhang'.

From the Finer Collection of later bronzes and hand warmers.