A BRONZE LUDUAN-FORM CENSER AND COVER, 17TH CENTURY China, 17^th century. The beast standing foursquare with open jaws baring sharp fangs and teeth, the head forming a hinged cover to allow access to the interior, detailed with finely incised mane and tail above a stout body with stylized markings.

Provenance: Karl Zeilinger (1944-2014), a collector of Asian art and antique weapons from Nürnberg, Germany. Thence by descent in the same family.
Condition: Fair condition with old wear, traces of use, some losses and cracks, minor iron-red and malachite-green encrustations to the feet. ATTENTION: Since the picture was taken one segment at the front neck is lost.

Weight: 984.8 g
Dimensions: Height 15.2 cm

Auction result comparison: A related bronze luduan censer of considerably smaller size, bearing an Xuande mark, was sold by Sotheby’s London in Menagerie: An English Private Collection of Chinese Animal Carvings on 10 May 2017, lot 29, for GBP 13,125.

十七世紀青銅甪端香爐
中國，十七世紀。神獸張嘴露出鋒利的獠牙，頭部作爲蓋子，刻畫入微地表現鬃毛和尾巴。

來源：Karl Zeilinger (1944-2014), 德國紐倫堡亞洲藝術及古典武器收藏家，在同一家族保存至今。
品相：狀況良好，有舊磨損，使用痕跡，一些磕損和裂縫，輕微的鐵紅色和綠色結殼。

重量：984.8 克
尺寸：高 15.2 厘米

拍賣結果比較：一個相近但較小的宣德款甪端青銅香爐，於2017年5月10日倫敦蘇富比Menagerie: An English Private Collection of Chinese Animal Carvings拍場，拍號29，售價GBP 13,125。