of compressed globular form rising from three tapering cylindrical legs to a short neck with everted rim, upturned loop handles issuing from gilt-metal monster masks on the shoulder, vibrant pink, blue, green, and turquoise enamels enlivening the peony scroll around the yellow-ground body, the peony and scrollwork motifs repeated on the legs, petal lappets and ruyi heads on the shoulder, foliated details on the neck and handles, the galleried rim inset with glass 'jewels,' the ground painted with fine horizontal lines overall, the underside of the body with a four-character Qianlong mark in iron-red, the gilt-metal lobed domed cover pierced with scrolling lotus and shou characters, the openwork finial with a coiled dragon and 'flaming pearl' amongst clouds surmounted by a carved coral chilong, later gilt wood stand (3)

Offered at Sotheby's New York, 11th May 1978, lot 78.
Collection of Andrew F. Chandler, Los Angeles.

The cover and stand appears to be associated to the censer. The censer with consolidation and restoration of lost enamels throughout, particularly at the legs and shoulder including a 7 cm section above a central peony blossom that was dented, repaired, and restored to the interior and exterior. At least one 'jewel' replaced. The cover restored.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The combination of painted enamel and paste-set borders is frequently found in Imperial works of art produced in Guangdong in the 18th and 19th century. Compare a painted enamel jardiniere, attributed to the Qianlong period, with a paste-set border at the rim, included in the exhibition Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1987, cat. no. 60, where a basse-taille enamel and paste-set clock is also illustrated, ibid., cat. no. 84.

Painted enamel Qianlong four-character marks of this type can be seen on a blue-ground painted enamel 'prunus' vase, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 214, and a painted enamel you vessel, included in the Chinese University of Hong Kong exhibition, op. cit., cat. no. 42.