MING DYNASTY, 16TH/17TH CENTURY

A smaller (12.7 cm.) cloisonné enamel censer, featuring the same gilt-bronze feet and handles, although decorated with cranes amidst clouds, is illustrated by H. Brinker and A. Lutz in Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, Zurich, 1989, no. 56, where it is dated first half 16th century. Closely related handles can also be seen on an early Ming drum-shaped cloisonné censer in the Qing Court collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - Metal-Bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, p. 17, no. 15.