of compressed circular form, resting on three short feet below a band of twelve bosses, the waisted neck rising to a flared mouth, the shoulder set with two lug-handles, and covered all over with an attractive crackled lavender-blue glaze stopping at the tip of the feet, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue

E.T. Hall collection, no. 078 (according to label).
Christie's London, 13th May 2014, lot 410.

This rare censer is in good condition with the exception of some over-painting to each end of one handle, a burst glaze bubble at the rim and some very minor and light glaze scratches.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

While the elegant crackled glaze on this censer was developed in imitation of the celebrated glazes made at the Ru kilns in Ruzhou, modern Baofeng county, Henan province, during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), the form of this censer, which is commonly referred to as yu lou (“fish basket”), appears to be a Yongzheng period innovation. Compare a Yongzheng mark and period censer of this form, but covered in a teadust glaze, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Geng Baochang ed., Gugong Bowuyuan cang Qingdai yuyao ciqi [Porcelains from the Qing dynasty imperial kilns in the Palace Museum collection], Beijing, 2005, vol. 1, pt. 2, pl. 13.   A Qianlong mark and period censer of this form, similarly covered in a Ru-type glaze, is illustrated in Geng Baochang, Ming Qing ciqi jianding [Appraisal of Ming and Qing porcelain], Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 456; a guan-type censer in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collections of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 209; and two censers from the Zande Lou collection were included in the exhibition Qing Imperial Monochromes. The Zande Lou Collection, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, 2005, cat. no. 31.