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ID #SA1215587
FOR SALE
£6,750
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A Rare and Heavy Late Ming Bronze 'Taotie' Mask Censer, 17th Century
For sale by Sandbanks Antiques
for sale €7,898     $8,573
£6,750
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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Id #SA1215587
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A Rare and Heavy Late Ming Bronze 'Taotie' Mask Censer, 17th Century

17th century
Description

A Rare and Heavy Late Ming Bronze 'Taotie' Mask Censer, 17th Century

An exceptional testament to the sophisticated aesthetic of the 17th-century Chinese literary elite. This finely cast bronze incense burner of compressed Gui form rises elegantly to a flared rim, flanked by a pair of remarkably crisp, high-relief taotie lion-mask handles showcasing tight, muscular scrollwork. Originally destined for a scholar’s desktop, the vessel carries an extraordinary heft, balancing a compact 13cm width with a substantial, deeply tactile weight of 467 grams. The bronze is enveloped in a magnificent, naturally aged chocolate-brown patina and bears a sharply recessed, crisp six-character Da Ming Xuan De Nian Zhi mark to the underside. A superior, highly defensive acquisition for the discerning connoisseur of Chinese works of art.

Dimensions: Height: 5.5cm | Width: 13cm Handle to Handle

Weight: 467g

Excellent structural condition with a rich, undisturbed natural patina and historic interior oxidation consistent with age and scholarly ritual use.

Available exclusively through Sandbanks Antiques

Provenance

Japanese - Tokyo Private Collection

The G S. May Esquire Private Collection, London

Physical Dimensions
Height
5.5cm (2.17")
Width
13cm (5.12")
Declaration

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Ming Dynasty Bronze Censer to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1215587
Description
A Rare and Heavy Late Ming Bronze 'Taotie' Mask Censer, 17th Century

An exceptional testament to the sophisticated aesthetic of the 17th-century Chinese literary elite. This finely cast bronze incense burner of compressed Gui form rises elegantly to a flared rim, flanked by a pair of remarkably crisp, high-relief taotie lion-mask handles showcasing tight, muscular scrollwork.

“
Originally destined for a scholar’s desktop, the vessel carries an extraordinary heft, balancing a compact 13cm width with a substantial, deeply tactile weight of 467 grams.
Sandbanks Antiques

The bronze is enveloped in a magnificent, naturally aged chocolate-brown patina and bears a sharply recessed, crisp six-character Da Ming Xuan De Nian Zhi mark to the underside. A superior, highly defensive acquisition for the discerning connoisseur of Chinese works of art.

fig 1. A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side.
fig 1. A Rare and Heavy Late Ming Bronze 'Taotie' Mask Censer, 17th Century

Dimensions: Height: 5.5cm | Width: 13cm Handle to Handle

Weight: 467g

Excellent structural condition with a rich, undisturbed natural patina and historic interior oxidation consistent with age and scholarly ritual use.

Available exclusively through Sandbanks Antiques

Provenance

Japanese - Tokyo Private Collection

The G S. May Esquire Private Collection, London

Height
5.5cm (2.17")
Width
13cm (5.12")
Date of Manufacture

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Ming Dynasty Bronze Censer to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1215587
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 cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side.
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Archive I A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side.

A Rare and Heavy Late Ming Bronze 'Taotie' Mask Censer, 17th Century

Archive II A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View II
Archive III A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View III
Archive IV A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View IV
Archive V A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View V
Archive VI A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View VI
Archive VII A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View VII
Archive VIII A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View VIII
Archive IX A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View IX
Archive X A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View X
Archive XI A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View XI
Archive XII A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View XII
Archive XIII A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side. View XIII
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
86
A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side.
A Rare and Heavy Late Ming Bronze 'Taotie' Mask Censer, 17th Century
Ref: SA1215587
A cast bronze censer featuring a flared rim, compressed globular body, low circular foot, and cast relief taotie mask handles on the side.
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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
  • MotifsTaotie mask relief, Flared rim, Compressed globular body
  • SizeH 5.5 cm (2 in) x W 13 cm (5 in)

This seventeenth-century bronze incense burner originates from the Late Ming period, presenting a compressed globular body that rises to a flared rim above a low circular foot. The dark brown metal surface is finished with a natural chocolate-brown patina, complemented by a pair of cast relief taotie mask handles featuring intricate scrollwork on the side. Measuring 5.5 cm high and 13 cm wide, the vessel shows historic interior oxidation and structural preservation consistent with age and scholarly ritual use. Today, this piece serves as a decorative accent suitable for placement on a sideboard top or within a gentleman's library. Its substantial mass and tactile form provide a grounding sculptural element for interior display.

FAQs

A Ming Dynasty bronze censer is a ritual or utilitarian metal vessel crafted during the Ming period for burning incense in temple, domestic, and scholarly settings.

These vessels were cast using the lost-wax method, resulting in thick bronze walls often detailed with high-relief motifs like taotie masks and hand-chased surface features.

Authentic pieces exhibit heavy cast density, natural surface wear along base contact points, hand-finished detail work, and genuine historical patina or oxidation.

Place the censer as a standalone sculptural object on a dark timber sideboard, mantelpiece, or bookshelf alongside studio ceramics and antique books.

Dust gently using a dry, soft microfiber cloth, avoiding abrasive polishes or chemical cleansers that strip the protective historic patina.
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