The Finer Collection of Bronzes and Hand Warmers - 11th November 2025

Lot 33

A CHINESE PARCEL-GILT COPPER ALLOY INCENSE BURNER

Estimate £1,500 - £2,500 | Hammer £2032

Inc. Buyers Premium

Description

A CHINESE PARCEL-GILT COPPER ALLOY INCENSE BURNER
HU WENMING MARK, 16TH/17TH CENTURY

Of rounded cylindrical form raised on three taotie feet, the exterior decorated with a central band of flowering plants, including lotus, bamboo, peony and chrysanthemum all reserved against a diaper ground, between key-fret bands to the rim and foot, the base with the four-character mark reading Hu Wenming zhi, with a paper label for the Finer Collection 'CB 90', 376g, 10.3cm.

Provenance: purchased from Brian Harkins Oriental Art, 9th February 2011.

For incense burners of similar form and related decoration, see The Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession no. 2006.310 with a Yunjian Hu Wenming zhi mark and another example in The Shanghai Museum, which bears Yunjian Hu Wenming nan Guangyu zhi mark.

十六/十七世紀 銅局部鎏金四季花卉紋爐

《胡文明製》



From the Finer Collection of later bronzes and hand warmers.