Small incense burner

This bronze incense burner has a wood lid surmounted by glued beads (the beads were added by Dr. Kramer), a square and flaring mouth, a bulging belly, two monster-shaped handles, and a tall splayed square foot. Its exterior is decorated with gold splashes. The outside and inside of the square foot are adorned with gold splashes as well. On the base of the foot there is an embossed reign mark "da ming xuan de nian zhi" (Made during the Xuande Reign of the Great Ming; 1426-1435) in standard script and three columns against a coarse copper red background. The interior of this vessel appears coarse and plainly decorated. The Xuande bronze incense burner is prestigious for its elegant antique shape and superb grade of workmanship. The genuine vessels are rarely seen at present and thus they are exceedingly prized. According to a book titled gu wan zhi nan (Guide of Chinese Antiques) written by Zhao Ruzhen, the most famous connoisseur in the modern era, the bronze quality and color as well as the inscribed reign mark are the most important elements to determine authenticity of the Xuande incense burners. The genuine ones have an extremely high quality of bronze because the bronze was smelt at least six times and up to twelve times. The color seemingly appears dim, but it has a tremendous substance of radiance when making a close observation. The brushstrokes of the genuine Xuande reign mark are distinct, complete and smooth. Its background has the same color and luster as the incense burner itself. When applying these points to this small incense burner with Xuande reign mark and compared with the dated Ming Xuande incense burners from the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (p.27 fig.15, from Rose Kerr's book Later Chinese Bronzes. ), it is evident that this piece is a later copy, probably made during the Qing dynasty (or later). First of all, the quality and color of the bronze are not superb and lustrous. Second, its shape is not very elegant, nor is it antique. Last, the brushstrokes of the six characters are rigid and obscure. They are against a background that is coarse and in copper red, a completely different color from the incense burner itself. Nonetheless, this vessel still displays a good grade of workmanship