A CLOISONNE ENAMEL MANDARIN DUCK CENSER AND COVER 17TH/18TH CENTURY

standing on an upturned lotus leaf on one foot, its head turned slightly to the left and holding three branches in its beak, the plumage to the head and wings in red, yellow, blue, green, black, white and turquoise enamels, the body in aubergine, the interior gilt

Collection of Alfred Morris.
Christie's London, 12 December 1956, lot 69.

 

This rare censer and cover are in good overall condition with the exception of some restoration to the enamels, including: circa 2 x 4cm., areas of six of the petals of the domed lotus base, to the enamel on the curled edges of the base, to a 2.5cm., diam., section at the top of the blue enamelled tail feathers of the body, and minor infilling to loss around the lower body and gilt rim; probable loss of gilt-metal ornamentation around the base (two fixing holes visible to side of base), minor rubbing to the gilded decoration and characteristic minor shrinkage and pitting to the enamels.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Bird-form censers of the early Qing dynasty are rare although a pair of censers in the shape of ducks, attributed to the 17th century, from the Pierre Uldry collection, is illustrated in Helmut Brinker and Albert Lutz, Chinesisches Cloisonne, Zurich, 1985, pl. 220. For 18th century  examples, see a Qianlong period duck-form censer, in the Museum fur Kunsthandwerk, Frankfurt, published in Gunhild Gabbert Avitabile, Die Ware aus dem Teufelsland, Frankfurt, 1981, cat. no. 102; another in the Palace Museum, Beijing, included in Zhongguo jinyin boli falangqi quanji, vol. 6, Shijiazhuang, 2002, pl. 42, together with a censer in the form of a mythical beast, pl. 41; an example in the shape of a dove, included in the exhibition Chinese Cloisonne. The Clague Collection, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, 1980, pl. 61; and a waterfowl-form censer, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in Enamel Ware in the Ming and Ch'ing Dynasties, Taipei, 1999, pl. 42.  

For the inspiration of this vessel see a late Ming cloisonne censer in the form of a mandarin duck, similarly standing on a stylized lotus leaf, from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 76.