A CHINESE BRONZE OVAL INCENSE BURNER AND COVER, XU

QIANLONG 1736-95

The body cast in shallow relief with geometric archaistic bands, a horned animal mask lug handle to each side, the domed cover cast with four flanges depicting zoomorphic details, encircling a central cartouche of waves within a band of key fret, the base with a mark which reads Wu Xian Xue Zhi, encircled by further characters, 31cm. (2)

Provenance: Christie's, 10th May 2010, lot 709.

Cf. Christie's New York, 21-22 March 2013, lot 1309 for an Imperial gilt lacquered wood xu of a similar shape.