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A Heavy 17th-century Chinese Archaistic Bronze Scholar’s Censer - Weight of 3.29 Kg
Sandbanks Antiques
for sale €7,605     $8,255
£6,500
Sandbanks Antiques

Sandbanks Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jan 2025
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    Specialising in antique silver, gold boxes, gold coins and objects de vertu. Rare fine-quality imperial chinese porcelain, jades, cloisonné
Id #SA1231286
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A Heavy 17th-century Chinese Archaistic Bronze Scholar’s Censer - Weight of 3.29 Kg

17th century
Description

​A Heavy 17th-Century Chinese Archaistic Bronze Scholar’s Censer

A finely cast Chinese bronze tripod censer, measuring 6 inches in diameter with a substantial weight of 3.29 kg. It features a classic compressed globular body and a flat, broad everted rim characteristic of classical literati scholar's desk vessels.

The censer is in superb condition, displaying a rich, deep chocolate-brown and mottled patination with subtle metallic highlights that reveal the high quality of the copper alloy through centuries of handling and age.

​17th-Century Dating: The attribution to the 17th century is underscored by the extraordinary weight-to-size ratio and dense alloy casting favored during the late Ming and transitional periods, combined with the restrained aesthetics and organic surface wear typical of high-period scholar's bronzes.

​Provenance & Markings: The base bears a crisp cast character mark within a recessed panel, accompanied by vintage Japanese collection paper labels (including a katakana stock descriptor reading senkuro / SEIKURO), marking its historical trajectory through a distinguished Japanese collection before entering The G. S. May Esquire Private Collection, London.

Declaration

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Chinese Bronze Tripod Censer to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1231286
Description
A Heavy 17th-Century Chinese Archaistic Bronze Scholar’s Censer
A finely cast Chinese bronze tripod censer, measuring 6 inches in diameter with a substantial weight of 3.
Sandbanks Antiques

29 kg. It features a classic compressed globular body and a flat, broad everted rim characteristic of classical literati scholar's desk vessels.

fig 1. A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet.
fig 1. A Heavy 17th-century Chinese Archaistic Bronze Scholar’s Censer - Weight of 3.29 Kg

The censer is in superb condition, displaying a rich, deep chocolate-brown and mottled patination with subtle metallic highlights that reveal the high quality of the copper alloy through centuries of handling and age.

fig 2. A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet.
fig 2. A Heavy 17th-century Chinese Archaistic Bronze Scholar’s Censer - Weight of 3.29 Kg

​17th-Century Dating: The attribution to the 17th century is underscored by the extraordinary weight-to-size ratio and dense alloy casting favored during the late Ming and transitional periods, combined with the restrained aesthetics and organic surface wear typical of high-period scholar's bronzes.

fig 3. A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet.
fig 3. A Heavy 17th-century Chinese Archaistic Bronze Scholar’s Censer - Weight of 3.29 Kg

​Provenance & Markings: The base bears a crisp cast character mark within a recessed panel, accompanied by vintage Japanese collection paper labels (including a katakana stock descriptor reading senkuro / SEIKURO), marking its historical trajectory through a distinguished Japanese collection before entering The G. S. May Esquire Private Collection, London.

Date of Manufacture

Sandbanks Antiques has dated this Chinese Bronze Tripod Censer to the 17th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1231286
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 heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet.
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Archive I A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet.

A Heavy 17th-century Chinese Archaistic Bronze Scholar’s Censer - Weight of 3.29 Kg

Archive II A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet. View II
Archive III A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet. View III
Archive IV A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet. View IV
Archive V A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet. View V
Archive VI A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet. View VI
Archive VII A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet. View VII
Archive VIII A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet. View VIII
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Telephone 07889 139677
Location
Sandbanks
Poole
Dorset
United Kingdom

By appointment only in Poole or London.
Verified Since Jan 2025
Items For Sale 188
Items Sold 80
Sandbanks Antiques
Sandbanks Antiques
Verified Since Jan 2025
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Location: Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset, United Kingdom, , By appointment only in Poole or London.
Verified
Jan 2025
For Sale
188
Sold
80
A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet.
A Heavy 17th-Century Chinese Archaistic Bronze Scholar’s Censer - Weight of 3.29 kg
Ref: SA1231286
A heavy 17th-century Chinese archaistic bronze tripod censer featuring a compressed globular body, wide flat rim, dark brown patina, and three sturdy feet.
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Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.
Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

Chinese archaistic bronze censers are vessels created during periods such as the Ming and Qing dynasties that revived design forms from ancient Shang and Zhou ritual bronzes, traditionally used on scholars desks or altars for burning incense.

These pieces were typically cast using lost-wax or piece-mould techniques from heavy copper alloys, finished with hand-chasing, and naturally patinated over time to produce deep, dark surface oxides.

Authentic pieces generally display significant weight relative to their size, natural patina with varied tonal depth, subtle surface wear around contact areas, and hand-cast characteristics rather than modern seam lines.

A bronze censer functions well as a decorative focal point on an office desk, bookshelf, or mantelpiece, pairing harmoniously with modern minimalist decor, dark wood surfaces, or ceramic collections.

Preserve the original patina by dusting gently with a soft microfibre cloth, avoiding chemical cleaners or water, and applying a light coat of clear microcrystalline wax only if protection against environmental moisture is required.
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