A BRONZE ‘DUCK’ CENSER AND COVER, MING DYNASTYChina, 1368-1644. Modeled standing on one of its webbed feet, the other raised, the curved neck supporting its upwards turned head, detailed with a long opened beak and plumage, the upper body forming the cover, with three openings at the beak and plumage, mounted to a rectangular wood stand.Provenance: From the collection of a gentleman in London, United Kingdom, who has been collecting Asian works of art for the last 50 years, and thence by descent. The base with an old label, ‘Antique Ming dynasty bronze incense burner 17th c.’.Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, few small nicks, light surface scratches, and casting flaws.Weight: 1,164 g (excl. stand), 1,511 g (incl. stand)Dimensions: 26.4 cm (excl. stand), 31.8 cm (incl. stand)With a modern, fitted wood stand. (2)Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: London, 10 May 2021, lot 303Price: GBP 7,012 or approx.EUR 9,200 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A bronze mandarin duck form incense burner and cover, Ming dynastyExpert remark:pare the related form of the beak, plumage, and feet. Note the smaller size (21 cm).Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie’s New York, 29 June 2021, lot 99Price: USD 25,000 or approx.EUR 26,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A bronze duck-form censer and cover, late Ming dynasty, 17th centuryExpert remark:pare the related form, pose, and plumage. Note the larger size (44.8 cm) and rockwork base.明代鴨型銅爐中國，1368-1644年。鴨子單腳站立，另一隻腳抬起，彎曲的脖子，頭擡起，長喙和羽毛細節刻畫精緻，上半身形成蓋子，在喙和羽毛處有三個開口，安裝在一個矩形木架上。