Expert’s note: Looking at the missing white space inside the leaves for example, this looks like a typical work from circa 1880-1920. However, some aspects of the décor are really fine, especially the fine gilt and the subtly degrading nuances of the iron red, so there is a remote chance that this is a bit earlier, possibly even late in the Daoguang period.

The globular body with upright curling handles standing on three bulbous short legs, decorated in shades of iron-red enamel with leafy lotus and ribbon-tied Eight Buddhist Emblems in a continuous meander, between borders of linked ruyi-heads and key-fret scrolls. The underside with an unglazed ring encircling ruyi-heads centered by a blossom. The rim decorated with a band of bats in flight amid scrolling clouds below a band of key-fret and the horizontal iron-red six-character mark da Qing Daoguang nianzhi. Note the finely gilt lines and details.

Provenance: French trade. By repute from an old estate in the north of France.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor old wear and traces of use, little rubbing to gilt and the iron-red. The cover lost.

Weight: 1,818 g
Dimensions: Height 23.5 cm

This impressive iron-red enameled incense burner would have been the central part of a five-piece altar garniture, flanked by two candlesticks and two vases. It was most likely produced for a smaller temple or private altar.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 17 May 2012, lot 331
Price: GBP 33,650 or approx. EUR 58,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A large iron-red globular tripod incense burner, Daoguang seal mark in a horizontal line and of the period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, decorations, and Daoguang reign mark. Note the much larger size (42 cm) and that this is a confirmed mark and period piece.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams London, 5 November 2012, lot 145
Price: GBP 6,875 or approx. EUR 12,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An iron-red enameled tripod incense burner, Jiaqing six-character seal mark in a line below the rim
Expert remark: Compare the related form and decorations. Note the larger size (29.5 cm) and that while this censer has a Jiaqing mark, Bonhams did not specify whether it is of the period or not, so this might well date from the second half of the 19^th century or even the republican era too.

Expert’s note (added 28.2.2023): Please note that additional information about this lot is available for download by clicking here.

#byimperialcommand

1840-1940年道光款礬紅彩描金纏枝蓮紋三足爐
描述：胎體厚重堅致，下設蹄形三足，肩置沖天耳，通體滿飾礬紅彩。爐闊口平沿，厚壁，外折凸厚唇，唇外沿飾迴紋一周，以紅彩書“大清道光年製”篆書款。直頸外壁裝飾纏枝蓮紋，肩部勾繪靈芝如意紋。腹部精繪纏枝蓮及寶傘、寶瓶、雙魚、盤長等佛家八寶紋。朝冠耳內外均繪纏枝蓮紋，側面勾繪迴紋。足面亦精繪纏枝蓮紋，足脛裝飾迴紋一周。整器紋飾佈局繁而不亂，設色嬌妍明艷。

專家注釋：看葉子內部的空白，像是約 1880-1920 年的典型風格。細節精美，看描金和礬紅彩，所以這件作品年代可能更早，甚至可能是道光晚期。

來源：英國古玩交易，據説購於法國北部一個舊藏。
品相：狀況極佳，有輕微磨損和使用痕跡，描金和礬紅彩輕微摩擦。無蓋。

重量：1,818 克
尺寸：高23.5 厘米

此爐為宮中佛前五供之一，五供器為明代晚期至清代流行的佛前供器，品種涉及青花、紅彩、粉彩等。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2012年5月17日，lot 331
價格：GBP 33,650（相當於今日EUR 58,000）
描述：清道光礬紅八吉祥紋雙耳三足爐，礬紅「大清道光年製」篆書款
專家評論：比較非常相近的外形、裝飾和道光款。請注意尺寸較大(42 厘米) ，以及此爐確定為道光年代。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2012年11月5日，lot 145
價格：GBP 6,875（相當於今日EUR 12,000）
描述：清嘉慶礬紅八吉祥紋雙耳三足爐
專家評論：比較相近的外形和裝飾。請注意尺寸較大(29.5 厘米) 。雖然此爐有嘉慶款，但邦瀚斯並沒有說明是不是嘉慶年代，因此很有可能是十九世紀下半葉，甚至是民國時期的。