明宣德 掐絲琺瑯纏枝蓮紋三足爐

sturdily cast, the compressed globular body raised on three tapered legs, applied with a pair of upright handles, the body richly enameled with a continuous register of meandering lotus against a turquoise-blue ground, with a keyfret border against a red ground at the rim, the handles decorated in champlevé enamels with geometric scrolls in red, blue and green, the rims and details gilt

香港佳士得1999年11月2日，編號799

As consistent with enamels of this period, there is some scattered turquoise-green infill to lost and flaked enamels, with particular concentrated areas of infill to the bases of the handles and around the legs. Other shallow flaking to the enamels. Several small chips to the undersides of the feet and several nicks and shallow chips to the rim. Some wear to the gilding.
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.
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It is interesting to note that cloisonné enameling technique appears to reach its peak very rapidly in the fifteenth century, and fine examples are rare. In particular, the well-controlled enamel tones on the present vessel reveal all the classic characteristics of the zenith of the technique, with crisply isolated cells of enamels within well-gilded cloisons. 

A relatively small number of similar incense burners are known, compare two of the same form and decoration, with with applied animal-masks surmounting the legs, one from the Avery Brundage Collection, now in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, included in the exhibition Cloisonné. Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, Bard Graduate Center, New York, 2011, cat. no. 23, and another, with its cover, illustrated in Chinese Cloisonné. The Pierre Uldry Collection, The Asia Society Galleries, New York, 1989, cat. no. 15.

Further related censers of this type include two examples with raised bosses below the rim, sold at Christie's New York, 26th March 2003, lot 60 and Christie's London, 15th December 1983, lot 353.  A further example, formerly in the Palmer Museum of Art, was sold at Sotheby's New York, 23rd March 2004, lot 525.