A ‘MAKARA’ BRONZE CENSER, QING DYNASTY China, 1644-1912. The compressed globular body rising from a short spreading foot to an everted rim, the shoulder set with a pair of makara head handles. The base cast with an apocryphal six-character mark da Ming Xuande nianzhi within a recessed rectangle.

Provenance: UK trade.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and casting flaws, small dents, few minuscule nicks, light scratches, the interior with extensive traces of use.

Weight: 418.4 g
Dimensions: Width 13 cm (across handles)

Auction result comparison: Compare a near-identical makara-handled censer, 18.5 cm wide, dated to the 19^th century, also with a Xuande mark, at Sotheby’s London in Asian Art on 17 May 2019, lot 349, sold for GBP 4,000. Compare a related bronze censer with similar elephant handles, 11.7 cm wide, dated 17^th-18^th century, at Sotheby’s London in Important Chinese Art on 6 November 2019, lot 288, sold for GBP 10,250.

清代摩迦儸耳銅爐
中國，1644-1912年。摩迦儸耳簋式爐，唇口外撇，短束頸，鼓腹下垂，高圈足。頸、腹兩側塑摩迦儸首耳，立體感強，猙獰威武。高額大鼻，毛髮細密盤曲。圈足内“大明宣德年製”。

來源：英國古玩市場。
品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損和鑄造瑕疵、小凹痕、輕微刻痕與劃痕，內部有大量使用痕跡。

重量：418.4 克
尺寸：寬13 厘米 (兩耳之間)

拍賣結果比較：比較一件幾乎一模一樣的十九世紀宣德款摩迦儸耳銅爐，寬18.5 厘米 ，見倫敦蘇富比Asian Art 2019年5月17 日 lot 349, 售價GBP 4,000；比較一件相近的十七至十八世紀象耳銅爐，寬 11.7 厘米，見倫敦蘇富比 Important Chinese Art 2019年11月6日 lot 288, 售價GBP 10,250。