A cast bronze covered tripod incense burner with lion dog finial


Xuande mark, 18th/19th centurySurmounted by a single-horned mythical beast finial seated atop a domical lid reticulated in vine and lotus patterns fitted into the waisted mouth rim separating opposing mythical beast handles attached to the compressed globular body covered in a crisply cast raised relief classic vine and lotus ground beneath a lotus petal band and supported by three lion head feet, the underside bearing the six-character mark.11in (28cm) high9 1/2in (24cm) width over handles
|For a similar example of mythical beast finials holding their hind leg in this humorous, almost coquettish pose, see the pair of slightly more elaborate Late Ming bronze censers offered at Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 3 October 2017, lot 3725. That pair also shared with the present lot the leiwen scroll around the mouth rim, beast-form handles with heads facing out, and nearly identically rendered beast form feet.