Ming Xuande Mark Pure Copper Censer with Auspicious Beast and Cloud Motifs

This is a pure copper censer bearing a Ming Xuande mark. It has a rounded body and a domed openwork lid topped with an auspicious beast finial; the base is decorated with beast heads and scrolling clouds. Cloud motifs, auspicious beasts, and geometric borders are rendered in relief across the surface, whose copper tone is subdued beneath a timeworn patina. The well-defined form and dense, dimensional ornament lend the piece a dignified, archaic character. Length: 50cm, Width: 35cm, Weight: 24.5kg