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ID #SA1215559
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A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) 17th Century Ming Period
For sale by Sandbanks Antiques
for sale €7,605     $8,255
£6,500
Sandbanks Antiques

Sandbanks Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2025
Browse dealers 205 items
  • About Us
    Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné
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A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) 17th Century Ming Period

17th century
Description

A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) Ming Period

Period: 17th Century (Late Ming to Early Qing Dynasty)

Mark: Incised with a single-character Xuan seal mark within a square cartouche to the base.

An exceptionally fine and heavily cast miniature bronze in censer (xianglu) of compressed globular gui form. This diminutive piece features a gently flared rim and a meticulously cast, short circular foot ring. The flanks are adorned with a pair of finely modelled archaistic elephant-head handles (xiàng'ěr), their trunks swept tightly inward in elegant loops to meet the body.

The vessel is enveloped in a smooth, rich chocolate and olive-brown patina that boasts a wonderful silky lustre. It reveals beautiful, warm golden undertones where decades of handling have naturally highlighted the raised details of the elephant features and the rim.

Sourced from a premier collection in Japan, this pocket-sized masterpiece was created specifically for the refined taste of the 17th-century literati desk, designed to burn delicate pressed incense seals during contemplation or study. It possesses an incredibly satisfying, dense, and weighted feel in the palm of the hand.

Height: 3.5 cm

Width: 7.5 cm across

Weight: 151.4 grams

Condition: Excellent antique condition, retaining a pristine, uncleaned original patina with natural wear consistent with age and scholarly use.

Scholarly Note

In the 17th century—a period of fascinating artistic transition in China—independent foundries and intellectual collectors rejected the massive, ostentatious imperial styles of the past. Instead, they championed minimalism and archaism. The single-character (Xuan) mark seen on the base of this piece is a highly stylized, sophisticated nod to the legendary bronze-casting era of Emperor Xuande. The choice of the elephant motif (taiping youxiang) is deeply auspicious, traditionally symbolizing peace, strength, and ultimate stability.

Sourced out of Japan, where scholars' objects were historically preserved with unmatched reverence, this miniature censer represents a superb survival of 17th-century desktop luxury.

Provenance:

Japanese - Tokyo Private Collection

The G S. May Enquire Private Collection, London

Physical Dimensions
Height
3.5cm (1.38")
Width
7.5cm (2.95")
Declaration

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Bronze Elephant Head Censer to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1215559
Description
A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) Ming Period

Period: 17th Century (Late Ming to Early Qing Dynasty)

Mark: Incised with a single-character Xuan seal mark within a square cartouche to the base.

“
An exceptionally fine and heavily cast miniature bronze in censer (xianglu) of compressed globular gui form.
Sandbanks Antiques

This diminutive piece features a gently flared rim and a meticulously cast, short circular foot ring. The flanks are adorned with a pair of finely modelled archaistic elephant-head handles (xiàng'ěr), their trunks swept tightly inward in elegant loops to meet the body.

fig 1. A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring.
fig 1. A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) 17th Century Ming Period

The vessel is enveloped in a smooth, rich chocolate and olive-brown patina that boasts a wonderful silky lustre. It reveals beautiful, warm golden undertones where decades of handling have naturally highlighted the raised details of the elephant features and the rim.

fig 2. A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring.
fig 2. A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) 17th Century Ming Period

Sourced from a premier collection in Japan, this pocket-sized masterpiece was created specifically for the refined taste of the 17th-century literati desk, designed to burn delicate pressed incense seals during contemplation or study. It possesses an incredibly satisfying, dense, and weighted feel in the palm of the hand.

fig 3. A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring.
fig 3. A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) 17th Century Ming Period

Height: 3.5 cm

Width: 7.5 cm across

Weight: 151.4 grams

Condition: Excellent antique condition, retaining a pristine, uncleaned original patina with natural wear consistent with age and scholarly use.

Scholarly Note

fig 4. A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring.
fig 4. A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) 17th Century Ming Period

In the 17th century—a period of fascinating artistic transition in China—independent foundries and intellectual collectors rejected the massive, ostentatious imperial styles of the past. Instead, they championed minimalism and archaism. The single-character (Xuan) mark seen on the base of this piece is a highly stylized, sophisticated nod to the legendary bronze-casting era of Emperor Xuande. The choice of the elephant motif (taiping youxiang) is deeply auspicious, traditionally symbolizing peace, strength, and ultimate stability.

fig 5. A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring.
fig 5. A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) 17th Century Ming Period

Sourced out of Japan, where scholars' objects were historically preserved with unmatched reverence, this miniature censer represents a superb survival of 17th-century desktop luxury.

Provenance:

Japanese - Tokyo Private Collection

The G S. May Enquire Private Collection, London

Height
3.5cm (1.38")
Width
7.5cm (2.95")
Date of Manufacture

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Bronze Elephant Head Censer to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1215559
Sandbanks Antiques
Sandbanks Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Jan 2025

Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Sandbanks Antiques Profile Page

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A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring.
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Archive I A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring.

A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) 17th Century Ming Period

Archive II A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View II
Archive III A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View III
Archive IV A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View IV
Archive V A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View V
Archive VI A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View VI
Archive VII A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View VII
Archive VIII A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View VIII
Archive IX A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View IX
Archive X A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View X
Archive XI A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View XI
Archive XII A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View XII
Archive XIII A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View XIII
Archive XIV A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View XIV
Archive XV A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring. View XV
Enlarged Archival View
Sandbanks Antiques

Sandbanks Antiques
Telephone 07889 139677
Location
Sandbanks
Poole
Dorset
United Kingdom

By appointment only in Poole or London.
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/sandbanks
Verified Since Jan 2025
Items For Sale 205
Items Sold 86
Sandbanks Antiques
Sandbanks Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2025
View Dealer Info
Location: Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom, , By appointment only in Poole or London.
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/sandbanks
Verified
Jan 2025
For Sale
205
Sold
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A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring.
A Rare Miniature Bronze ‘Elephant Head’ Scholar’s Censer (Xianglu) 17th Century Ming Period
Ref: SA1215559
A miniature dark bronze censer featuring a rounded body, twin elephant head handles with curved trunks, and a circular raised footring.
Detail View 1
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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectIncense Burners
  • Period17th century
  • StyleMing Dynasty
  • MaterialBronze
  • ColourDark Brown
  • MotifsElephant head handles, Curved trunks, Circular footring, Flared rim
  • SizeH 3.5 cm (1 in) x W 7.5 cm (3 in)

This miniature bronze incense burner dates from the 17th century Ming period and takes a compressed globular gui form. The dark brown vessel has a smoothly flared rim, a short circular footring, and a pair of archaistic elephant-head handles with trunks swept tightly inward to meet the body. It stands 3.5 cm high and measures 7.5 cm wide. The surface shows a chocolate and olive-brown patina with golden undertones on the raised elephant features, alongside minor handling wear consistent with its age. Created for the scholarly desk, this piece suits placement on an office desk or library table to hold burning incense during quiet contemplation or study. It brings a refined historical touch to contemporary interiors, serving as an interesting decorative item or a tactile paperweight in a gentleman's study or quiet reading corner.

FAQs

A Chinese scholars censer, or xianglu, is a traditional bronze or ceramic vessel designed for burning incense, historically placed in scholars studies during the Ming and Qing dynasties to aid focus, meditation, and ritual purification.

Ming dynasty bronze censers were typically cast using the lost-wax technique, allowing for detailed features such as animal-head handles and relief decoration, followed by hand-finishing and chemical patination.

Authentic 17th-century censers usually display a substantial weight relative to their size, natural patina with colour variations from centuries of handling, precise casting on handles and rims, and occasionally cast reign marks on the base.

A bronze censer functions as a sculptural accent on an office desk, coffee table, or bookshelf, where its dark patina and metalwork contrast against contemporary wooden or stone surfaces.

To preserve patinated bronze, dust the surface regularly with a dry soft cloth, avoid chemical cleaners or abrasive polishes that strip historical surface layers, and apply microcrystalline wax sparingly to protect against oxidisation.
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