A BRONZE TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER, DING Yuan/Ming Dynasty Heavily cast standing on three lion-mask-headed clawed feet, the vertical top section applied with two plain pierced upright handles at the sides and cast in crisp shallow relief with a continuous band of irregularly-shaped dragon panels on grounds of breaking waves and flames, the body undecorated, the surface with an attractive old dark patination. 28cm (11in) wide. Footnotes: Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價 元/明 銅龍紋沖天耳三獸足爐 Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Roger Keverne Ltd., Winter Exhibition, London, 2012, no.13. 展覽著錄：Roger Keverne Ltd.，《冬季展覽》，倫敦，2012年，編號13 A related example in the collection of the Museo d'Arte Cinese e Ethnografico dei Missionari Saveriani, Parma, is illustrated by F.Mignini, Padre Matteo Ricci: L'Europa alla corte dei Ming, Milan, 2003, p.143. For a bronze incense burner, Yuan dynasty, with a similar frieze of slender dragons, see Li, A selection of the Treasure of Archaeological Finds of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, 1987, no.264. See a related but larger bronze tripod incense burner and cover, late Ming dynasty, with a Japanese inscription dated 1613, which was sold at Bonhams London, 16 May 2013, lot 305. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com