明正德 銅番蓮開光阿拉伯文香爐 《大明正德年製》款

of deep rounded form with gently curving ‘S’-shaped sides, supported on a high circular foot, the exterior cast in relief with a continuous design of four circular panels enclosing an Arabic invocation, together reading afdal al-dhikr la ilaha illa allah  ('The most virtuous supplication is: There is no god but The God'), all against a ground of stylised scrolling lotus, above and below narrow bands of stylised floral scroll at the shoulder and foot, the base with a band of stylised lotus petals which are echoed, upside down, the footrim evenly serrated,  the foot cast with a recessed rectangular cartouche enclosing a kaishu six-character Zhengde mark, gilt-bronze stand from the Qing dynasty, Qianlong period, pierced and decorated with lingzhi

倫敦 Hugh M Moss Ltd.，1975年前入藏

The incense burner: oxidisation to the body and general surface wear. The patina is much darker in reality than in the catalogue photo. The stand: rubbing to the gilding, minor bruises and surface scratching
"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."

正德皇帝尊崇伊斯蘭教，在他在位的十六年間，宮廷製造了大量以伊斯蘭紋飾作為裝飾的器物，尤其是書阿拉伯文字的器物，不僅品種豐富，且製作相當精美。如此銅香爐，造型獨特，鑄造細緻，較當時製造粗糙的瓷器更為精美，為正德朝經典之作，甚為珍罕。北京故宮博物院藏一件同樣帶正德款、阿拉伯文但作長方形的連座銅蓋爐，見《Power and Glory: Court Arts of China's Ming Dynasty》，舊金山亞洲美術館，2008年，編號110。

此爐器型獨特，未見其它類同例子的註錄。明朝玩賞香爐成風，種類繁多，此器雖作盌形，但應為焚香之器，而非以盌用。

明朝初期開發了一種漢化的阿拉伯語書法字體，以其粗線條為特徵，如此爐上的銘文可見一班，常見於華中地區的清真寺，甘肅、寧夏、陝西一帶較少。帶此字體器物最早始見於明初，北京牛街禮拜寺的壁龕尤為著名。牛街禮拜寺建於遼代統和十四年（996年），明朝正統七年（1442）進行了大規模擴建。