QING DYNASTY 18th Century Palatial Gilt Bronze Elephant Censer With Cover Lid
An 18th century elephant censer from the Qing Dynasty.
This is an extremely rare palatial censer, created in the 18th century during the Qing Dynasty, circa 1750. The fabulous censer have been designed with an ovoid body standing on three large elephant-head legs. It was crafted with exceptional highly detailed parts in solid gilt bronze and embellished with cabochons beads carved from blue turquoises, below an elaborate relief-cast lotus meander and tow elephant heads with raised and extended trunks to form handles, The domed cover lid is pierced with further latus below a recumbent elephant caparisoned with a howdah on its back in form of an urn filled with auspicious objects. An apocryphal six-character Xuande mark in relief.
About This Rare Censer
The present censer is derived from Ming dynasty prototypes of similar decoration; see one attributed to the Xuande period but with a waisted neck in the Special Exhibition of Incense Burners and Perfumers throughout the Dynasties, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1994, cat. no.55. The form was originally inspired by ding vessels of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, but the traditional loop handles and cylindrical dated to 1770 of similar form and size but slightly varying decoration, was sold in our Hong Kong rooms 5th October 2011, lot 2097; and another of larger dimension and with the four characters mark Yu Tang Qing Wan, was also sold in Honk Kong 12th May 1983, lot 266. The elephant (Xiang) is a pun for 'sign' and the phrase Taiping Youxiang (when there is peace, there are signs) is represented by an elephant carrying a vase on its back. During the Qing dynasty elephants carrying vases on their backs appeared in processions celebrating the Qianlong emperor's birthday.
The Qing Dynasty
Officially the Great Qing, was the Manchu-led last dynasty in the imperial history of China. It was proclaimed in 1636 in Manchuria (modern-day Northeast China), in 1644 entered Beijing, extended its rule to cover all of China proper, and then extended the empire into Central Asia. The dynasty lasted until 1912. In orthodox Chinese historiography, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The multiethnic Qing empire lasted for almost three centuries and assembled the territorial base for modern China. It was the largest Chinese dynasty and in 1790 the fourth largest empire in world history in terms of territorial size. With a population of 432 million in 1912, it was the world's most populous country at the time.
Country: China, Qing Dynasty (1644-1912).
Date: Circa 1750.
Materials: Bronze, gilt bronze and blue turquoises.
Turquoises: Accented with 78 round cabochon cuts of different diameters carved from natural blue turquoises.
Weight: 45 Pounds. (20.45 Kg.).
Measurements: 457.2 mm by 355.6 mm by 228.6 mm (18 x 14 x 9 Inches).
Hallmarks: Stamped in the bottom, with an apocryphal six-character Xuande mark in high relief.
Literature: Sotheby's New York, Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works Of Art, September 11 & 12 2012. Page -127 Lot 127 For this exact piece illustrated and offered at the sale with a presale estimate of $ 25,000-35,000.
Provenance: Sotheby's New York, Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works Of Art, September 11 & 12 2012. Lot 127. A private collection in Palm Beach Florida, United States.
Collateral: This Qing Dynasty censer is accompanied by the original catalog from Sotheby's.
Condition: The overall condition of Qing Dynasty Censer is excellent. Beside the little normal wear, there is no damage and all parts are secured in their settings. This antique censer has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.
INVENTORY REF: D101724SENM/.6698
