A gilt copper alloy censer with pierced cover, late Ming dynasty / early Qing dynasty.
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Tripod with tall legs, pumpkinshaped mid-section with gilded high relief of flowers. Handles in the shape of mythical beasts. Cover pierced and with a buddhist lion finial, the inside of the cover with four etched characters of commendation, freely interpreted as made for a tempel devoted to Mazu. Height 17 cm. Height with sculptured wooden stand 22.5 cm.
Slight wear to gilding.
Provenance
From the Collection of Jägmästare Nils and Inga-Lill Hultmark, Torps Egendom, Västergötland. Nils Hultmark was the son of Jägmästare David Hultmark, brother of Emil and Richard Hultmark, who also collected Asian Ceramics and Works of Art, all members of ‘Kinaklubben’ the China Club in Stockholm in the 1920’s together with Carl Kempe (1884-1967), Ivan Traugott (1871-1952), and the Crown Prince Gustav Adolf. The brothers are well known art collectors in Sweden and built their collections in the golden age of European collection. Nils and Inga-Lill also had a great interest in collecting art and were frequent visitors at the auction and gallery viewings in Stockholm adding well-chosen items to the inherited collection.
Possibly purchased from Bukowskis sale 304 Rådman Richard Hultmarks Collection, February 26th - 27th 1936. Lot no 342.
Literature
Compare a related censer, lot no 2874, splendors of the Qing court, Sothebys, Hong Kong 2008.