China, Qianlong (1735-1796) mark and periodPowerfully cast in the shape of a bird, it stands on its legs and tail. The body is finely decorated in relief with incised feathers and archaistic scrolls. The hinged head is realistically modelled and bears the two-character seal mark of Emperor Qianlong.Provenance: from a distinguished Italian private collection.Catalogue notes:This object is one of a rare group of archaistic vessels of the Qianlong period, clearly inspired by the zoomorphic ritual vessels of the Shang dynasty (1600 - 1100 BC). An example of these vases, preserved in the Shaanxi Provincial Museum, is illustrated in Zhongguo qintangqi quanji, vol. 4, Beijing, 1988, pp. 154-155.An almost identical bird-shaped vase, exhibited at the Taipei Museum of History in 2000, is illustrated in Shuangqing canglu (雙清藏爐), published by the Taipei Museum of History, April 2000, p. 202, no. 168.See also the object in the collection of LACMA in Los Angeles, no. 51.29.8a-b.A virtually identical example was sold at Christie's, 21 March 1988, London, lot. 289.Another example, with a four-character Qianlong mark and of the period, was sold at Sotheby's, Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 15 May 2007, London, lot. 99. 清乾隆 瑞鸟铜鎏金香炉 ‘乾隆’ 款 意大利私人收藏 2000年台北历史博物馆展出的一件几乎一模一样的瑞鸟铜鎏金香炉，载于台北历史博物馆2000年4月出版的双清藏炉，p. 202，n. 168. 另请参阅洛杉矶 LACMA 收藏的项目，编号 51.29.8a-b。 1988 年 3 月 21 日，伦敦佳士得拍卖了一个几乎相同的例子，拍品号.289. 另一例，乾隆四字款，苏富比中国瓷器及工艺品，2007 年 5 月 15 日，伦敦，拍品号99