Lot 49

A large Chinese bronze incense burner, the open worked cover richly decorated with dragons chasing the flaming pearl and surmounted by a large dragon coiled around a flaming pearl, the body similarly decorated with dragons above waves amidst stylised clouds, the smooth shoulder incised with bats, two large dragon handles, the feet formed by kneeling figures, all set on a carved wooden base with tao-tie masks, the underside of the incense burner with a Xuande mark (1426-1435), China, late 18th/early 19th century -H. 76 cm with stand (11 cm), W. 55 cm, D. 32 cm, one dragon handle loose with old soldering, some dragons missing a whisker, small piece broken off but present-