ROGER KEVERNE WINTER 2002 Enamel and Glass - Item 79

79 An extremely fine, large and rare Imperial cloisonné enamel censer and cover Qianlong period Height: 19 1/2 in, 49.5 cm the well-rounded censer is supported on three superbly cast and chased gilt-bronze legs in the form of elephants’ heads and is set with two similar handles; each head has leaf-shaped ears with incised veins, well-defined eyes, long tusks and a ridged, curling trunk. The rims are bound with gilt key-fret bands. The sides are decorated in coloured enamels on a turquoise ground with three shaped panels, each containing a large shou character surrounded by five bats (wu fu) amid swirling clouds, all reserved against an octagonal floral diaper separated by wan characters and overlaid with twelve flower heads, four between each panel. The base is decorated with the floral diaper and wan pattern. The gently domed cover has a gilt rim, is similarly decorated and is surmounted by an openwork gilt finial in the form of leafy lotus with a yin-yang symbol to the top, raised on gilt bands of lotus lappet separated by a gilt knop.

Such vessels with elephant-head legs are known, but they are usually less fine and are set with elephant-trunk handles. The quality of the enamelling, the superb casting of the elephant-head mounts and the chasing of the gilt-bronze fittings undoubtedly proclaim this work of art a product of the Palace workshops and, further, a superb example of enamelling during the Qianlong period.