China, 16^th-17^th century. The rare copper-alloy and gilt-bronze incense burner is decorated on each side with a central band of various mythical sea creatures including winged dragons and horses rising from waves and chasing flaming pearls, all finely chased and incised in relief, between bands of neatly silver-inlaid key-fret around the neck and foot, flanked on either side by imposing dragon-head loop handles. Cast with a rectangular gilt panel on the base bearing the incised Hu Wenming mark.

Inscriptions: To base, ‘Yunjian Hu Wenming zhi’ (‘made by Hu Wenming of Yunjian [modern Songjiang, near Shanghai]).

Provenance: United Kingdom trade.
Condition: Good condition with extensive wear to gilt, minor casting flaws, few small dents, nicks, and shallow surface scratches. Fine naturally grown patina overall with scattered encrustations.

Weight: 696.6 g
Dimensions: Width 19.7 cm (across handles)

Hu Wenming is one of the most renowned metalworkers in Chinese history and one of the few whose name and style are discussed in Chinese art-historical writing. Most of the works attributed to Hu Wenming are scholarly objects, such as incense burners and brush pots, characterized by densely worked backgrounds covered with naturalistic and other motifs cast in high relief.

Literature comparison: The same mark can be found on a slightly smaller censer with similar decoration in the main band and with similar handles, in the Palace Museum Collection and listed as a ‘national first-grade cultural relic’, illustrated in Illustrated Important Chinese Cultural Relics Ranking Standard- Bronze, Beijing, 2006, pl. 143. For other related censers with the same primary decoration and mark, but with variations to the decorative bands, see one illustrated in The Literati Mode, Sydney L. Moss, Ltd., London, 1986, pp. 291-2, no. 145, and another illustrated in Sotheby’s Hong Kong Twenty Years, Hong Kong, 1993, no. 402.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2017, lot 8117
Price: HKD 562,500 or approx. EUR 76,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare parcel-gilt bronze censer, gui, Ming dynasty, Yunjian Hu Wenming zhi seal mark
Expert remark: Compare the closely related gui form and decoration with similar copper-alloy reliefs, silver inlays, and dragon handles. Note that the censer bears the same mark as the present lot and is of similar size (26.7 cm), but that the gilt to the central band and handles is well-preserved.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s London, 13 May 2011, lot 1039
Price: GBP 30,000 or approx. EUR 45,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A fine parcel-gilt bronze censer, late Ming dynasty, 16^th/17^th century, Hu Wenming
Expert remark: Compare the closely related gui form and decoration with similar copper-alloy reliefs, silver inlays, and dragon handles. Note that the censer bears the same mark as the present lot, is of smaller size (17 cm), and shows similarly extensive wear to the gilt.



明代胡文明款鎏金簋形爐
中國，十六至十七世紀。罕見的鎏金銅簋形爐，束頸處飾錯銀雷紋帶；圓腹，浮雕瑞獸；圈足處飾錯銀雷紋帶。圈足内有胡文明款。

款識：雲間胡文明製

來源：英國古玩市場。
品相：狀況良好，鍍金磨損嚴重，輕微鑄造缺陷，小凹痕、刻痕和表面輕微淺劃痕。自然包漿。

重量：696.6 克
尺寸：寬 19.7 厘米 (雙耳之間)

文獻比較：同樣的款識可見於一件稍小的香爐，有相同的紋帶和和把手，收藏於北京故宮博物院，列為「國家一級文物」，見《文物藏品定級標準圖例‧青銅卷》，北京，2006年，編號143。一件相近的相同款識和裝飾的香爐，但有多種紋帶，見Sydney L. Moss，Ltd. ，《The Literati Mode》，倫敦，1986年，頁291-2，編號145，另一件見香港蘇富比《 Twenty Years》，香港，1993年，編號402。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2017年11月27日，lot 8117
價格：HKD 562,500（相當於今日EUR 76,000 ）
描述：明代胡文明款鎏金簋形爐
專家評論：比較非常相近的簋形外型和銅合金浮雕、嵌銀和龍形把手。請注意款識相同，且尺寸相似(26.7 厘米)，但紋飾和把手上的鎏金保留完好。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2011年5月13日，lot 1039
價格：GBP 30,000（相當於今日EUR 45,000 ）
描述：明末十六至十七世紀胡文明款鎏金簋形爐
專家評論：比較非常相近的簋形外型和銅合金浮雕、嵌銀和龍形把手。請注意款識相同，以及鍍金磨損嚴重，但尺寸較小 (17 厘米)。