A CHINESE BRONZE 'RAMS' INCENSE BURNER. Ming Dynasty. The compressed circular body with a flared rim set to the shoulder with two ram head handles, all raised on a flared foot and with a six-character Xuande mark to the base, 13cm across, 652g. 明 銅雙羊耳爐，「大明宣德年製」楷書款 The unusual slender form of this censer complemented by the presence of the rare two-by-three format of the Xuande base mark which diverges from the standard three-by-two format so familiar to collectors of Chinese bronze incense burners. The search for mark-and-period Xuande bronze censers is the holy grail of Chinese bronze connoisseurs made all the remote by the fact that no definitively Xuande period bronze exists. However, cloisonné enamel censers mark and period of Xuande are extant in the Imperial collection in Beijing and there are various formats for these marks. The two by three format is familiar from Xuande mark and period porcelain. **Due to Covid-19, London Chiswick Auctions is operating a skeleton staff working remotely. As a result condition reports and extra images may be subject to delay or limited availability. ** **由於2019冠狀病毒爆發的原因，倫敦齊仕閣拍賣會行只有少部分員工在家辦公。這可能會導致延發/少發品相報告及照片。** (13cm across.)