A Parcel-Gilt Copper ‘Mythical Beasts’ Incense Burner, Gui By Hu Wenming, Ming Dynasty, 17th Century

of archaistic gui form, the compressed globular body supported on a flared circular footrim, the body skilfully beaten-up from copper sheet, the exterior boldly chased in relief on each side with a winged dragon depicted flying between a qilin and a leonine mythical beast, probably a xiezhai, all set against a ring-punched ground, the upper band with a wondrous frieze of two confronting bird-headed kui-type dragons enclosing a highly stylised taotie head comprised of ruyi-head motifs, the decoration repeated on the outer footrim, the base band of plain copper, the two separately cast bronze handles in the form of taotie devouring their own bodies, the details, lip and band between the upper and main registers of decoration all richly gilt, the base engraved in zhuanshu with six-character mark Yunjian Hu Wenming zhi (‘Made by Hu Wenming of Yunjian’), with an additional engraved kaishu inscription Yihai nian zhongqiu huoxingshen qian Zhang Pixun kousong (‘A respectful gift from Zhang Pixun facing the God of the Fire-spark in mid-autumn of the Yihai year’)

There is general scratching, pin holes and surface wear to the body. The handles of the vessel are slightly loose. There is minor rubbing and loss to gilt. The patina is a darker colour in reality.
"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."

An almost identical incense burner, but without the additional inscription, is illustrated by Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, 'Chinese Metalwork of the Hu Wenming Group', Handbook, International Asian Antiques Fair, Hong Kong, 1984, p. 46, fig. 9.  The difference in the wings of the dragons, however, suggests that these designs were beaten into the copper freehand, rather than around pre-formed moulds. If moulds had been used, there would seem little point in producing an almost identical incense burner with a slightly different design. The two incense burners therefore play an important role in our understanding of the techniques of the Hu Wenming workshop.

The lingzhi-head motif in the centre of the upper register found here and on several other Hu Wenming incense burners is more recognisable as a taotie head here than on other examples and suggests that to whatever extent the lingzhi symbolism of the motif was implied, it was also intended to act as a taotie.  Part of the sophisticated delight of archaism is that while invoking antiquity in the selection of archaic forms or motifs, there was an intentional overlay of contemporary meaning.  This is part of what makes the language of archaism particularly rich and meaningful.

The additional inscription can possibly be dated in accordance with 1575, but in the absence of any recorded information about Zhang Pixun, could actually correspond to any of the following dates: 1635; 1695; 1755; 1805 or 1865. The inscriptions only note that Zhang made a gift of the incense burner, apparently to a temple.  It may have been a treasured antiquity by the time it was inscribed, which presumably accounts for the invocation of the God of the Fire-spark.