Lot 2

[INCENSE CULTURE] CHINESE BRONZE 'LUDUAN' INCENSE BURNER

MING DYNASTY

Fine Asian Works of Art

Auction: 06 November 2026 from 10:00 GMT

Estimate: £1,000 - £1,500

Description

明銅鑄甪端形薰爐

the mythical beast standing four-square with flames emanating from its feet, trampling a snake curling around its round body, the separate cover formed as the head facing upwards with jaws agape revealing sharp fangs, beneath ruyi-shaped snout, large bulging eyes and bushy brows, a single horn issuing from the head between pricked ears and finely curling mane

Dimensions

11cm high; 359g

Provenance

Private English collection, acquired from Robert McPherson (R & G McPherson Antiques) on 21st March 2009, with payment receipt, with paper label;

Formerly in the Luigi Koelliker Collection.

英格蘭私人收藏，2009年3月21日購自R & G McPherson Antiques，附付款收據及紙標籤；

Luigi Koelliker舊藏。

Footnote

Luigi Koelliker is one of the greatest Italian collectors, this vase comes from his collection in London, he has another collection in Italy. This vast and important collection is very varied but has the feel of a Renaissance Studiolo. It includes 16th and 17th century European bronzes, maiolica, silver, Kunstkammer objects, furniture and oriental works of art, not to mention important old master paintings.

Luduan is a mythical Chinese beast associated with wisdom and the ability to discern truth from falsehood, said to appear only during the reign of a virtuous ruler. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was often represented in bronze as an incense burner, with the hollow body forming the censer and smoke emerging from the mouth or head. For a full discussion on the subject accompanying a Qing dynasty bronze example of the form, see P.K.Hu, Later Chinese Bronzes: The Saint Louis Museum and Robert E. Kresko Collection, Saint Louis, 2008, pp.162-167. See also a similar bronze Luduan incense burner, Ming dynasty, 17th century, illustrated in The Second Bronze Age: Later Chinese Metalwork, London, 1991, no.19. Compare two larger parcel-gilt bronze Luduan incense burners, both dated to Ming dynasty, 17th century, were sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 6 June 2023, lot 3247 and Sotheby's New York, 22 March 2022, lot 13.