WANLI SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN ENAMEL WITHIN A RECTANGLE AND OF THE PERIOD (1573-1619)

This very rare censer belongs to a small group of cloisonné pieces bearing prominent Wanli marks within a rectangle and encircled by ruyi heads. Compare several cloisonné vessels in the Qing Court Collection bearing Wanli marks of this type, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - 43 - Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, pp. 51-56, nos. 49, 50, 52, 53, and 54.