A HU WENMING PARCEL-GILT TRIPOD CENSER, MING DYNASTY China, 17^th century. The cast copper vessel is of cylindrical form, supported on three beast-headed feet, with an incurved flat rim. The exterior is neatly decorated with chased and incised cranes in various postures amid swirling clouds, all in gilt relief against a punched scroll ground, between narrow bands of diapered design. The base with a signature reading Yunjian Hu Wenming zhi ('Made by Hu Wenming of Yunjian').

Provenance: Collection of Åke Virgin, thence by descent. A copy of a handwritten note by Åke Virgin, analyzing the signature on the present censer and comparing it to another by Hu Wenming, accompanies this lot. Åke Virgin (1891-1978) was a Swedish civil engineer who took a keen interest in Chinese art, especially early bronzes, building a fine collection between the 1940s and 1970s. He was an active member of the Friends of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm. Åke Virgin had numerous discussions with and took advice from notable Swedish academics such as Professor Bernhard Karlgren and Orvar Karlbeck.
Condition: Very good condition with old wear and minor casting irregularities, small nicks, light dents and scratches. Remnants of old varnish.

Weight: 554.7 g
Dimensions: Diameter 10.1 cm, Height 9.4 cm

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related but slightly larger (diameter 13.3 cm) censer by Hu Wenming at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Water, Pine And Stone Retreat Collection: Later Bronzes on 07 April 2014, lot 246, sold for HKD 375,000; and another of near-identical size (diameter 10.2 cm) and with the same mark, in the same auction, lot 236, sold for HKD 350,000.

明代胡文明款銅鎏金三足爐
中國，十七世紀。銅爐圓柱形，三獸首足。爐壁中部祥雲紋地，鎏金雕刻飛翔仙鶴與如意祥雲，姿態豐富。爐底篆書“雲間胡文明製”。

來源： Åke Virgin收藏, 保存至今。隨附一份Åke Virgin 手寫注釋副本，將此爐款識與另一件胡文明款進行比較。Åke Virgin (1891-1978) 是一位瑞典土木工程師，對中國藝術、尤其是對早期青銅器有著濃厚的興趣。他在1940 至 1970 年代間構建了自己的收藏。他是斯德哥爾摩東亞美術館舘友協會非常活躍的成員。 Åke Virgin 與著名的瑞典學者（如 Bernhard Karlgren 教授和 Orvar Karlbeck）進行了多次討論並聽取了他們的建議。 品相：品相極好，舊時磨損，以及輕微的鑄造不規則、小刻痕、輕微凹痕和劃痕。舊漆餘留。
重量：554.7 克
尺寸：直徑10.1 厘米, 高9.4 厘米

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近但稍大 (直徑13.3 厘米) 的胡文明銅爐，見香港蘇富比Water, Pine And Stone Retreat Collection: Later Bronzes，2014年4月7日lot 246, 售價HKD 375,000；另一件相近尺寸 (直徑10.2 厘米) 同款香爐見同一拍場lot 236, 售價HKD 350,000。